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JANUARY, 1894. Annual Subscription, $6.00. 



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®Ue Elliott 


TIE MALMTE CROSS, 


A ROMANCE OF TWO COUNTRIES. 

0 


By FRANK 


HsNbRTON. 



CLEVELAND PUBLISHING COMPANY; 
19 Union Square. 





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Copyright, 1894, by 
FRANK H. NORTON. 
(All rights reserved.) 


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• ••i 


^ 4 


i 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


CHAPTER 1. 

THE KEY AND THE TOWDER. 

The progressive, but destructive spirit of Napoleon 
III. obliterated very much of old Paris, to make room 
for new boulevards and avenues ; and with all the 
rest, a small cul de sac opening into the Rue des 
Capucines. But in the year 1843, the period of the 
beginning of this narrative, this place was in 
existence. 

In that year, in the month of June, and on an 
evening which was unseasonably cold and cheerless 
the little street Avas silent and unoccupied. 

It was nearly nine o’clock, when rapid footsteps 
echoed upon the pavement around the corner, and in a 
moment there appeared a man avIio entered the dark 
court, which Avas illuminated by a single lamp at the 
upper end, and AA^ho, pausing as if to take breath after 
a rapid Avalk, looked carefully about him, and as the 
bell of the church of St. Philippe near by sounded 
nine, muttered to himself: “In time after all, 
jparhleu^ but a sharp walk for it,” and, ensconcing 
himself in the shadow of an overhanging- portico, 
proceeded to wait ])atiently. 

Five minutes passed, and the man became restless ; 
five more, and he stepped from his place of conceal- 


4 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


merit and looked anxiously toward the corner ; live 
more, and other rapid footsteps were heard approach- 
ing, and presently the first comer was joined by 
another, who also exhibited evidences of having 
hurried. 

‘‘ Fifteen minutes late, Pierre ! ” 

“ True, Monsieur le Viscount, but from no fault 
of mine.” 

“ Have you the key ? ” 

“ It is here.” 

‘‘ Give it to me,” said the first speaker, “ and wait 
for me at my room; have my clothes packed, and 
everything ready for immediate removal!” 

“Yes, Monsieur le Viscount,” and bowing gravely, 
the speaker turned and passed quickly round the 
corner and out of sight. 

The man who had first entered the narrow street, 
waited until the sound of the retiring footsteps died 
away in the distance, and then walked slowly to the 
corner, turned into the Kue des Capucines, and, stop- 
ping in front of a street-lamp examined the key which 
had been handed to him. 

The light falling upon him discovered a tall and 
slim young man, with light hair and mustache, 
dressed elegantly, but plainly, and showing in his 
graceful figure and clear-cut features every appear- 
ance of a gentleman by birth and cultivation. His 
only ornament was a single diamond which sparkled 
on his finger, and in one hand he carried a small 
cane. 

The key which he held to the light, and examined 
carefully, was of silver, and of very peculiar shape ; it 
appeared to be curiously complicated, and in place of 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


5 


the usual form had a straight cross-handle by which 
he held it. 

It will do,” he muttered ; and, placing it in his 
pocket, looked at his watch, and proceeded at a rapid 
pace in an easterly direction, turning from one street 
into another, as though he were thoroughly acquainted 
with that portion of the city. Half an hour brought 
him to a dark street leading out of the Faubourg St. 
Germain, and two minutes after, he stopped before a 
small gate in a high wall, which appeared to give 
entrance to a garden or courtyard. Pulling the 
handle of a bell, concealed in one side of the gate, 
but which he seemed to discover by feeling, he 
removed his cap and passed his handkerchief over 
his forehead, wet with perspiration after his rapid 
walk. 

Presently, approaching footsteps were heard, and the 
gate was unlocked and partially opened, discovering 
the figure of a young girl, in a Kormandy cap, white 
apron and ribbons. The gate was still held by a 
strong chain, but, on observing the young man, the 
girl unfastened it and admitted him, while, at the 
same time, the flaming candle in her hand revealed a 
decided blush on her pretty face, which by no means 
detracted from its charms. 

“ Is that you, viscount,” said she, smiling. 

“ It is I, Marguerite. Is madam within ? ” 

“ Truly ; she was engaged this evening, but a painful 
headache prevented her from going out.” 

A shadow seemed to pass over the young man’s 
face, but, closing the gate, he said, I will see her if 
she is willing.” 

The light from the candle exhibited a large paved 


6 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


courtyard, lined on one side with lime trees, while on 
the other frowned a massive building, which stood 
tall and gloomy, resembling more a prison than a 
private residence. 

A large swinging lamp, which hung in front of an 
enormous doorway, burned dimly, and made the 
gloom more evident — a feature which the flickering 
of the candle, creating more shadows than light, 
served but to increase. 

Leading the way, the girl threw open the massive 
door at the head of a few stone steps, and admitted 
the viscount into a long and wide hall, flagged with 
marble, hung with paintings, and leading to a broad 
flight of stairs of polished wood, which agreed well in 
tone with the gloomy character of the exterior of the 
building. 

Leaving her candle on a bracket in the hall, the 
young girl opened a side door, and introduced the 
viscount into a large room, elegantly furnished and 
embellished, and lighted by wax candles in a candela- 
brum which stood on a table in the center. “Be 
seated, viscount,” said the girl ; “ and I will inform 
madam of your arrival.” 

The- gentleman seated himself, but as the door 
closed, he rose, and stepped lightly and quickly to the 
end of the long drawing-room and looked eagerly 
about. An open space against the wall seemed to 
betoken the recent removal of a piece of furniture; 
and, after a careful search in every direction, without 
apparently finding what he sought, the viscount sud- 
denly raised both hands in the air, clinched, until the 
blue veins seemed to swell almost to bursting through 
the fair skin, while his face, flushed a dark red and 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


7 


distorted with passion, gave evidence of some terrible 
internal commotion. “ Sacristi I ” he cried aloud, “ am 
I to be foiled after all ? — the one obstacle upon which 
1 had not calculated. What could have induced the 
old hag to remove that cabinet ? ” He paced the 
room with hurried steps, now thrusting his hand 
into his bosom, and again shaking it wildly in 
the air. 

Footsteps were heard on the hall floor, and, throw- 
ing himself into a chair, with a powerful effort he 
composed himself, while the perspiration on his face 
and his matted hair, showed how severe was the 
struggle. 

The door opened, and the girl entered. “ Madam 
is too indisposed to come down, but bids me tell you she 
will see you in her boudoir,” said she. The viscount 
nodded, and following her, passed through the hall 
and up the broad staircase. 

Turning to the right, the girl led the way to an 
open door, and announced the Yiscount Honore de 
Yalmy. Entering the room, the viscount bowed 
respectfully to a lady who was seated in a large arm- 
chair by the side of a table, on which were candles, 
a book — and a pair of gold spectacles, marking the 
place where her reading had ceased. 

The lady was very aged, to judge by her white hair 
gathered in broad bands above her brow- ; but her face 
showed no wrinkles, and her deep gray eyes gave no 
outward token of Aveakness. “Good evening Hon- 
ore,” said she, in a rich, full A^oice, “and pardon me 
for not rising ; I have been ill to-day.” She offered 
her hand to the Auscount, Avhich he raised respectfully 
to his lips. 


8 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“Pray offer no excuse, my dear aunt,” said 
he ; “ I much regret your illness, but am glad it 
is not so severe as to deprive me of the pleasure of 
seeing you before I leave town.” 

“ Do you depart so soon, then, nephew ? ” said the 
lady. 

“ To-morrow I shall leave Paris for Tours, and shall 
immediately thereafter return to my estate.” 

“ Present my affectionate greeting to madam, your 
mother, Honore, and my regrets that she did not 
accompany you on your visit. I am growing ad- 
vanced in years, and I sometimes fear I shall never 
again see her, my youngest and best beloved 
sister.” 

“ My dear aunt, with the exception of the evidences 
of to-day’s malaise^ I have not seen you looking so 
well for years.” 

“ Ah ! you seek to flatter me, like all the world, 
nephew, but see ! ” — and she lifted the spectacles from 
the table — “ my eyesight is failing me, and you know 
I always boasted of its strength and clearness.” 

“ Only temporarily, my dear aunt, let us hope,” said 
the viscount; “I am sure you have yet many bright, 
and happy, and useful years before you.” 

“ God grant it, nephew, for when I am gone, who 
will take care of my poor pensioners ? Apropos, may I 
trouble you to hand me that small volume which lies 
on the cabinet just behind you? ” 

As she said these words, the viscount started, and 
something like a shudder passed over him ; but control- 
ling himself, he stepped back a few paces, where stood 
a small ebony cabinet, grotesquely carved, and inlaid 
with silver. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


9 


Taking the hook in his hand — a small volume 
bound in red morocco — the viscount looked curiously 
at the cabinet, and as he took his seat, after giving the 
book to the lady, he said, “ I thought that cabinet was 
in the blue drawing-room, aunt.” 

“ So it was, nephew,” she replied, “ but as it contains 
some articles I like occasionally to look at, I had 
Alphonse bring it here yesterday that it might be 
near at hand.” 

Taking the spectacles from the table, the old lady 
wiped them carefully with her handkerchief, and 
proceeded to adjust them upon her nose. Having 
done this, she took the little red book from her lap^ 
and began leisurely turning over the leaves. 

‘‘ This, nephew,” she said, “ contains a list of the 
names of my pensioners ; every day they come to me 
at noon to be fed. They are not very exacting, for 
they require only one meal a day.” 

“What manner of people are they, aunt? I did 
not know you bestowed charity in that way.” 

The old lady laughed merrily. “ Come to-morrow 
at noon and you shall see them — but I forgot, you are 
leaving Paris to-morrow.” 

“ Oh ! that need not interfere,” said the viscounty 
eagerly, “I should much like to see them, and I have 
no important business to prevent my remaining in 
Paris a day or two longer, if I desire it.” 

“Well, nephew,” replied the lady, “if that be the 
case, come to-morrow at noon, and you will be amused ; 
and now, Honore, I must ask you to excuse me. You 
know age has its privileges, and I retire early. 
Salute me, nephew.” 

Kising, the viscount bent over her, and pressed his 


10 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


lips to her brow ; then bowing respectfully, he took 
his leave. 

Passing downstairs, he met the young girl who had 
been his escort, coming up with a candle in one hand 
and a small blue paper in the other. 

“Well, Marguerite,” he said, “ madam is about to 
retire ; will you be good enough to let me out ? ” 

“ Surely,” she replied ; “ I will first, if you please, 
give madam her poAvder, and them I am at your 
service.” 

“So madam takes powders — let me see it,” said 
the viscount. 

The girl handed him the blue paper, remarking : 
“ They are sleeping-powders, and I give her one every 
night at precisely ten o’clock.” 

The viscount said nothing, but his face seemed to 
turn a shade paler as he opened the paper, and looked 
at the fine white powder within. It might have 
been observed, if there had been one present who 
desired to do so, that his examination of both paper 
and contents was careful, and that his hand trembled 
slightly. Taking a little of the powder between his 
finger and thumb, he smelled it, and tasted it ; then, 
closing, and folding the paper in the same creases, he 
returned it to the girl, saying quietly: “ I must ask my 
aunt to give me the prescription ; I suffer dreadfully 
from sleeplessness.” 

The girl said nothing, but passed upstairs, while the 
viscount stopped in the hall and waited for her. 
He stood quite still, leaning against the wall, and his 
face grew paler, while his features worked convul- 
sively for a moment. Presently he muttered : “ It 
seems I am driven to it — the temptation, the obstacle 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


11 


and the means are all before me — but the situation is 
not of my seeking, and surely I am not to blame if 
circumstances shape themselves in one way rather 
than another.” 

The young girl appeared, descending the stairs; and, 
crossing the hall, she opened tlie door, and they passed 
into the courtyard. Every trace of emotion had fled 
from the face of the viscount, and as he reached the 
gate and Marguerite was about turning the key in the 
lock, he placed his hand on her arm, and taking a 
gold-piece from his pocket, gave it to her. ‘‘ Pretty 
Marguerite, take this to supply yourself with ribbons, 
and always look as lovely as you do to-night;” so 
saying, he passed his arm around her neck, and before 
she had time to utter a word, had kissed her mouth — 
one, two, three times ; in another moment he turned 
the key in the lock, slipped the chain, and before the 
girl had recovered her equilibrium, the gate was shut, 
and his footsteps were heard echoing on the sidewalk, 
until their sound died away in the distance. Then the 
girl locked the gate, fastened the chain, and returning, 
entered the house. Inside the hall, her first movement 
was to place the candle on a bracket, her next to ex- 
amine her face in a mirror which hung near it. 

“Well, if I am awake, and my face tells the truth, I 
am the most surprised girl I ever heard tell of.” Her 
face was flushed crimson, her hair deranged, and open- 
ing her hand, she saw the gold-piece. “ It is no dream, 
and I am so happy,” said she, and taking her candle, 
she darted lightly up the stairs, and in a moment the 
house was silent. 


12 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


CHAPTEK 11. 

THE NECROMANCER OF THE RUE DES JUIVES. 

Madam Carteret, now nearing her eightieth year 
was a fair specimen of the old nobility of France. 
Losing her husband on one of those terrible days of 
the Revolution, she had retired to her estates in the 
countr}^ where she had continued to reside, until the 
final defeat of Napoleon, and the accession of Louis 
XYIII., had not only enabled her to return to Paris, 
but to obtain possession of her old residence in the 
Rue Lenoir, near the Faubourg St. Germain, where 
she had resided ever since. 

For her youngest sister’s only living child, the Vis- 
count de Yalmy, the old lady had always felt and ex- 
pressed the deepest affection. The latter had been 
educated with due regard for the position he was ex- 
pected to fill ; and so far as acquirements went, with 
entire success. A man of impenetrable self-command, 
indomitable will, and undoubted courage, his gentle- 
ness of manner and grace of deportment made him 
universally liked and admired. Tie was affluent in 
education, being remarkably familiar with all the 
modern languages, besides being even rather more 
than a dabbler in science itself. The inner character 
of the man, no circumstances had yet occurred of 
sufficient moment to betray ; it will be developed with 
the development of this story. He was twenty eight 
years of age, rich, handsome, and entirely his own 
master. When he left Brillet-sur-Loire, the family 
estate, on his visit to Paris, he had informed his mother 
and father, who tenderly loved him, that if he were 
able to persuade an intimate friend to join him, he 


TUK MALACHITE CROSS. 


13 


should take a trip to southern Italy, the Mediterra- 
nean, and possibly Egypt ; but would inform them of 
his intentions by letter. So much of explanation. 

Leaving the Eue Lenoir, the viscount turned to 
the left. Crossing the Boulevard St. Germain, he 
turned to the right and entered another small and 
narrow street, the Kue des Juives. This street was 
also but dimly lighted, but with the same precision 
which had marked all his movements, the viscount 
crossed to the left side, and stopped at the door of a 
two-story wooden house which stood back a few feet 
from the line of the other houses. 

There was no bell nor knocker, but a gleam fro'u 
the single lamp in the street revealed a small chain 
hanging at one side of the door, with a ring attached 
to it. 

The viscount pulled the chain and waited. In 
about three minutes the door was noiselessly opened, 
revealing the figure of an old man, tall and gray, with 
a beard nearly to his waist, long gray hair, and 
piercing black eyes. He was dressed in a dark coffee- 
colored gown, Avhich reached quite to his feet, and 
was fastened around his waist by a cord. In his 
hand he carried a silver candlestick and wax candle. 

‘‘ Well, Father Gronevitch, I am here,” said the 
viscount. 

“Come in, my son. You are welcome!” The 
voice of the old man was harsh, and his features did 
not seem to move as he spoke. Holding the light 
above his head as the viscount entered, he closed 
the door as noiselessly as he had opened it, and then 
preceded the other along a narrow hall and up a 
flight of stairs. 


14 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Taking from some portion of his dress a key, he 
opened a door at the head of the stairs, and led the 
way through another, still longer passage, until he 
reached a second door at the extreme end ; the same 
key gave ingress to a large room, and the viscount 
and the old man entered. 

The room was carpeted so heavily that the tread 
of feet made no sound. It was lighted by a silver 
candelabrum on a table in the center, while silver 
candlesticks, set in sconces about the walls, and 
all containing large wax candles, made a brilliant 
illumination. 

At one end of the room a bright fire roared up 
a wide-mouthed chimney, and about the apartments 
were scattered roomy armchairs, fauteuils, and other 
furniture. 

But all of comfort, all of cheerfulness, all of bright- 
ness in the room, sat staring at one another in the 
grotesquely carved furniture, gleamed and flickered 
in the candles, or danced and snapped and whirled 
up the wide-mouthed chimney in the blazing fire. 

For all else was gloomy, weird and horrible. The 
Avails were covered Avith deep, glass-fronted cases, 
and strong, iron-barred cages; and these Avere filled 
Avith everything animate and inanimate, which could 
illustrate or suggest the Avildest vagaries of the night- 
mare, or the most fearful imaginings of the delirium 
tremens. 

There Avere huge snakes coiled up Avitliin these 
cases, their eyes fixed Avith a stony glare, like corpse 
lights. There Avere slimy toads and neAvts and lizards 
and adders; some lying motionless, others writhing 
and turning in serpentine grace ; others, still, crawling 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


15 


slowly and silently up damp stones, and into black 
pools. 

There were gibbering and ferocious apes, that 
sprung continually from one side of the cage to the 
other, with a dreary monotony which seemed to be 
never ending. There were carrion crows, and buz- 
zards, and night hawks, with their talons covered with 
blood. There were horned owls, and a vulture, and a 
condor. In one corner, a large cage, divided into two 
compartments, contained a hyena and a gray wolf. 
There were scorpions, and tarantulas and centipedes. 

There was no animal, bird, insect or reptile that 
was not formed by nature to be hated and loathed 
by man. 

Then there were narrow cases containing skeletons. 
A sarcophagus with an unwrapped mummy, black and 
hideous. Skulls, bones, preservations in morbid 
anatomy and pathology ; scalps from the Avestern 
wilds of IS'orth America ; weapons of Avar ; phials 
labeled “poison,” innumerable. 

The room was a complete museum of the armament 
of death. 

The viscount stood motionless on the threshold ; at 
the same moment the door closed silently behind 
him. 

Something glided softly over his feet ; and, looking 
doAvn, he caught the eye of a large snake as it vibrated 
sloAvly past him. 

The viscount remained calm and unperturbed, but, 
turning to the old man, he said : “ Is it your custom 
to give your menagerie the freedom of the house? 
Because, if it is, I should prefer its being done at some 
other time.” 


16 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


‘‘ He is perfectly harmless,” said the other. “ See, I 
will call him.” 

Taking a small instrument— like Pan’s pipes— from 
his bosom, he sounded a soft note ; in an instant the 
snake glided gently to his feet, coiled about him, and 
rising to his neck, laid its head on the old man’s 
shoulder. 

‘‘Is he not venomous?” said the viscount. 

“ His bite is deadly,” replied the other ; “ but his 
fangs are drawn — I had use for them.” 

No words could express the malignant character of 
the smile that flickered for a moment on the old 
man’s thin lips, as he said these words, or the glare of 
meaning that lighted up his baleful eyes. 

With a slight twist of his muscular frame, he shook 
the snake off, and it writhed away into a cage on one 
side of the room, and coiled itself up, as though in 
obedience to some unspoken command. 

Father Gronevitch then opened a closet, and throw- 
ing off his long gown, appeared in a close-fitting black 
blouse, black baggy trousers, and black felt slippers ; 
on his head he placed a velvet cap, also black. Draw- 
ing nearer to the fire, he said : “ Be seated, viscount, 
and I will tell you what you want of me.” 

“You mean I will tell you, father?” said the vis- 
count, expressing in his manner, for the first time some 
astonishment. 

“I mean what I say,” rejoined the other. “You 
have failed in your efforts to obtain the Mai ” 

“ Hush ! ” cried the viscount, starting up and turn- 
ing deadly pale ; “ the very walls would find ears to 
learn that secret — those ghastly skeletons would come 
to life to betray it ! ” 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


17 


“ My walls have no ears — my dead men tell no tales ! 
You failed to obtain the Malachite Cross — that price- 
less treasure, whose owner knows not what she pos- 
sesses! You have come here to-night to gain the sole 
means of success, and that success, as you are now 
aware, can only be reached through the Yalley of the 
Shadow of Death.” 

The viscount sat in silence and made no sign : he 
seemed lost in amazement at this mysterious unveiling 
of his most hidden acts and thoughts. 

Then Father Gronevitch rose, and opening one of 
the glasS' cases, took from a shelf a small box ; this he 
laid on the table beside the viscount. 

“ Open it,” said he, “ and find what you seek ! ” 

The viscount opened the box, and saAv therein a 
small paper, blue in color, and folded as the one he 
had seen in the hands of Marguerite at ten o’clock. 
Opening the paper, he saw a small quantity of fine 
white powder, the counterpart of the powder he had 
seen in the blue paper, at the house in the Eue Le- 
noir ; he refolded the paper in the same creases, and 
replaced it in the box. 

“ Father Gronevitch,” said the viscount, “ will you 
answer me two questions ? ” 

“ Twenty, if you wish,” was the reply. 

“ Tell me what is the effect of this powder.” 

The old man rose, and crossing the room, opened 
one of the cases, and took therefrom a snake about 
three feet in length. He held the reptile by the neck, 
Avhile its lithe body coiled about his left arm. “ This,” 
said Father Gronevitch, “ is a cobra de capello ; it is 
in perfect health, and its bite is certain instantaneous 
tleath; now observe.” He again opened the same 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


J8 

case from which he had taken the box, and brought 
forth a small blue phial: drawing the cork, he 
compressed the throat of the cobra with his muscular 
hand, until its mouth opened wide, disclosing its poi- 
sonous fangs, while its eyes seemed to glare with impo- 
tent rage. With one finger on the mouth of the phial, 
he slowly dropped a few grains of the powder into the 
mouth of the reptile ; a slight shudder passed over it, 
and the old man placed it on the table. It was stone 
dead. 

As the snake shuddered and died, the viscount 
turned a shade paler ; but his features were fixed and 
stony. 

“ The powder in the blue paper, and that in the 
phial are identical. Ask the second question ! ” said 
Father Gronevitch. 

“ What is the history, and what are the properties 
of the Malachite Cross ? ” 

Father Gronevitch rose again and walked to the 
other end of the room ; opening the closet wherein he 
had hung his gown, he presently returned with a 
small writing-desk in his hand. Seating himself, he 
unlocked it with a key which was attached to a chain 
hanging from his neck, and took from it a roll of 
manuscript, which he gave to the viscount. “Keep 
that securely about your person, and read it on your 
voyage,” said he. 

“ What voyage ? ” cried the Yiscount, starting 
abruptly from his chair. 

“ Be seated, viscount,” replied the old man. “ To- 
day is the eighteenth of June. On the twentieth you 
will sail from Havre; on the thirtieth of July you 
will be in the harbor of Kew York, in the United 
States.” 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


10 


The viscount fell back into his seat* and wiped the 
perspiration from his face with his handkerchief. 

“ There is one other question,’^ said Father Grone- 
vitch, ‘‘which you desire to ask me, but fear to. 
I will answer it.” He rose once more, and drawing 
from his bosom the instrument with which he had 
called the snake from his shoulder, he sounded a chord 
so shrill, so wild and fearful, like the torturing of a 
hundred aeolian harps, that the viscount sprang erect 
and tried to close his ears to the fearful discord. 
But that was seraphic harmony to what followed; 
for instantly, as with one accord, every beast, bird 
and reptile awakened from its torpor ; and then began 
a din so horrible, so unspeakably fearful, that it would 
seem as though hell had increased the tortures of the 
damned, until even the furies wept and shrieked in 
agony of pity. 

The hyena laughed in hideous mockery ; the gray 
wolf howled and clashed its fangs, and beat against 
the iron bars of its cage ; the condor and vulture and 
•carrion crow screamed in concert, and began again 
their horrid repast ; the apes gibbered ; the horned- 
owl hooted ; the serpents hissed ; and the silent and 
noiseless snake trailed its tortuous length along the 
carpet, and writhing about the body of the old man, 
again laid its head on his shoulder and glared at the 
viscount with its stony eyes. 

He, crushed at last with all the unnatural horror of 
the scene, cowered down upon the floor, while his 
strong frame trembled in an agony of terror. 

A shrill note from the instrument in the old man’s 
hand, and instantly all was still ; and as the silent 
snake crawled back to his cage, the viscount arose, 
and threw himself again into his chair. 


20 


THE MALACHITE CROSS- 


“Young man,” said Father Gronevitch, “a single 
movement of mine would throw open every cage in 
this room, and in three minutes after, your mutilated 
corpse would retain no attribute of humanity. 
When the hour conies whose fearful reality shall 
bring to your memory the full horror of the scene you 
have just witnessed, you shall know why I have not 
obtained, for myself, the Malachite Cross, and why I 
have permitted it to be possessed by you.” 

Five minutes later, the Viscount de Valmy found 
himself on the sidewalk of the Hue des Juives, looking 
at the gray dawn just breaking in the distant horizon, 
but with no knowledge of anything but the last words 
of Father Gronevitch ; so was his brain stunned by the 
scene through which he had just passed. 


CIIAPTEE III. 

MADAM CAETEREt’s PENSIONERS. 

An elegantly furnished room on the second floor 
of a tall building on the Champs Elysees, a table in 
the center laid for a late breakfast, and the man 
called Pierre, whom lye first heard of in the blind 
alley leading from the Kue des Capucines, moving 
noiselessly about, dusting the furniture, and perform- 
ing such other small offices as should serve him to kill 
time until the Viscount de Valmy might awake. 

“ Pierre ! ” shouted a voice from an inner room ; 
and dropping his duster, the man opened the door 
between, and replied : “ Yes, Monsieur le Viscount.” 

“ What o’clock is it ? ” 

“ Half-past ten, viscount.” 


THK M. I LAGIIITE GROSS. 21 

“ Order my breakfast in fifteen minutes. I have an 
appointment at noon.” 

“ Then monsieur is not going away to-day ? ” 

“No ! — that is, I don’t know ; do as I bid you ! ” 

The valet turned from the room and passed out of 
the other apartment. Presently he returned, and 
shortly after a waiter entered with the required 
meal. A moment later the viscount made his appear- 
ance, dressed in a morning-gown, and with a very 
jaded and worn-out look on his pallid countenance. 

His appetite was soon satisfied, for beyond drinking 
three cups of cafe noir with cognac, he took nothing 
of importance. Kising from the table, he returned to 
his sleeping apartment, and with the assistance of 
Pierre, soon appeared in walking-costume. Looking 
at his watch, he saw that it marked half-past eleven, 
and turning to the valet said : “ Keitiain here until you 
see me ; have my trunks packed, and everything ready 
for instant removal. Be sure and do not leave the room 
on any account until I return — even though it should 
not be until to-morrow morning.” 

So saying, the Yiscount de Yalmy walked hurriedly 
into the street, and in the direction of the Eue Lenoir. 

As the bell of a neighboring church sounded twelve 
the viscount rang at the gate, and was presently 
admitted, and escorted to the drawing-room by the fair 
Marguerite. The young girl looked charmingly in her 
white apron and cap, and sundry new and bright 
ribbons showed that she had already consulted the 
tastes of the viscount, 

He remarked upon this with a pleased smile, and 
again the blushing girl submitted to the salute which 
had so much surprised her the night before. Leaving 


22 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


the room to inform Madam Carteret of his arrival, she 
presently returned with that lady leaning upon her 
arm and moving with slow and feeble steps. 

It was only when walking that Madam Carteret’s 
age asserted itself; yet her face was as young and 
genial, and her voice as sweet and full as ever. 

Giving her hand to the viscount, he led her to a 
couch, where she sat for a moment to rest herself 
while Marguerite left the room to fulfill some command 
of her mistress. 

‘‘ Do you not fatigue yourself overmuch by your atten- 
tion to these duties of charity, aunt ? ” said the young 
man. 

“ I fear I do, Honore, ” she replied, ‘‘ and indeed I 
believe I must perform them by deputy hereafter ; but 
my pensioners have arrived, and I will at least fulfill 
my obligation to them for this day, if you will kindly 
give me your arm, nephe\^:” 

Kising, she took his arm, and directed his steps out 
of the drawing-room, through the long hall, and by a 
door at the end, into another part of the courtyard 
than that by which he had entered. 

As they stepped upon the stone pavement, the 
viscount’s ears were stunned by a confused barking 
and growling, and his surprise was great, when upon 
a gate being opened by a servant, a crowd of dogs of 
every size, species and quality swarmed into the yard 
and congregated in front of Madam Carteret. 

‘‘These are my pensioners, nephew,” said the lady, 
smiling ; “ and now you shall see how well-disciplined 
they are.” 

Now, the viscount not only detested every variety 
of the dog species, but he also feared them mortally. 


The malachite cross. 


r6 


and would willingly cross the street, rather than pass 
near one ; so when he saw this collection of every imagi- 
nable kind of his pet abomination all his courtesy and 
desire to please his aunt could not prevent him from 
backing slowly in the direction of the door. The old 
lady observed this, and was exceedingly amused at the 
viscount’s consternation ; she however called him to 
her side, saying : “ There is nothing to fear, nephew ; 
they are very tractable, and obey almost my very 
look. ” 

The viscount had nothing for it but to submit, so he 
very cautiously approached his aunt, drawing himself 
close together whenever one dog, more inquisitive 
than the rest, sought to form a closer acquaintance by 
smelling about his shoes and occasionally giving a 
dubious sort of growl, by no means re-assuring. 

There were bloodhounds from Alsace, wolf dogs 
from the forest of Ardennes, mastiffs that would 
think nothing of pulling down a wild boar, or a deer 
of- ten tines. There were poodles, spaniels, terriers, 
greyhounds, St. Bernard dogs, sheep dogs, harriers, 
setters, mongrel curs and nameless little street animals, 
mangy and ill-looking. The larger animals sat silently 
on their immense haunches, and waited ; the smaller 
ones frisked about, snapped at each other, and at the 
viscount’s legs, evidently imagining that interloper to 
have something to do with the delaying of their 
dinner. 

Then a door leading into the house was opened, and 
a servant came out bearing a large tub of various 
kinds of dog food, which he placed by his mistress’ 
feet. Drawing from her waist a small whistle. 
Madam Carteret blew a shrill note upon it, and 


24 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


immediately, with the exception of a few newcomers, 
the dogs sat quietly down, looking with eager eyes 
and open mouths at the promised repast. 

“ITow, nephew, to show you my system of discipline. 
Adolph, there are four new ones ; keep your eyes on 
them, and do not permit them to interfere with the 
rest.” Adolph, who had a small hunting whip in his 
hand, singled out four of the dirtiest looking of the 
party, and separating them from their more civilized 
brethren, kept a close watch upon their movements, 
silencing every attempt on their part to disturb the 
serenity of the scene by a quick snap or blow with his 
formidable whip. 

Drawing from her pocket the little red book to 
which we have before alluded. Madam Carteret 
opened it and proceeded to call the dogs by their 
names, singly; when, to the utter astonishment of 
the viscount, the animals called would give a short 
bark (answering to “ here ! ”), and come forward to 
the tub, where it would receive a generous allotment 
of the food proper for its kind from the hands of the 
servant, when it would retire to a corner and eat it, 
unmolested by any of the other canine pensioners. 

No dog but the one whose name was mentioned 
would venture to move, or make a sound, and the 
whole proceeding was characterized by a degree of 
order and propriety which well might be offered as an 
example to bipedal individuals when assembled 
together. 

The large dogs concluded their meal first, and then 
scoured the courtyard in search of exercise and amuse- 
ment. Some instinctive and unaccountable aversion 
toward the viscount seemed to have taken possession 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


25 


of these huge and dangerous animals, and soon their 
demonstrations in his direction began to appear 
anything but amicable. 

They walked about him snuffing the air, and oc- 
casionally giving vent to their feelings in a prolonged 
howl, or deep bay. If he offered to caress them, 
they snarled and snapped at him, and though he en- 
deavored to display a considerable amount of interest 
in the motions of Adolph, who was breaking-in his 
four new recruits, it was manifestly evident even to 
his aunt that his apparent equanimity was only forced. 
Expressing her surprise at the strange actions of her 
four-footed friends, as having never occurred before, 
though she frequently had company to see them, she 
finally ordered the gate to be opened, and the audience 
to close, as the food was all eaten, and the smaller 
dogs sitting licking their jaws with great satisfaction. 

The last to leave was an enormous Kussian mastiff, 
whose powerful fangs, reddened with blood after his 
meal, and his fiery, bloodshot eyes, would have struck 
terror to the heart of any man, even though these 
features were not accompanied as in the present 
instance, by an evident hostility toward him. 

As this ferocious animal turned to leave the court- 
yard, in obedience to the command of Madam 
Carteret’s whistle, he stepped in front of the viscount, 
and glaring fiercely at him, showed all his teeth, as 
the lips rolled back from them, while his hair fairly 
bristled with suppressed rage ; the viscount, as much 
astonished as alarmed, turned deadly pale, and was 
about to take flight ignominiously, when Adolph 
came with his whip, and drove the offender out 
of the gate. 


2Q 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


I^ot till then did the viscount recover his usual 
manner; drawing a long breath of satisfaction, he 
said: “ I must think my thorough hatred of dogs has 
somehow reached the knowledge of your friends, for 
I hardly suppose they would have gratuitously ex- 
hibited such very decided animosity toward me.” 

“I must ask your pardon, nephew,” said the old 
lady, “ for bringing you into such unpleasant company ; 
but I am as much surprised as you, for I never knew 
them to act so before toward any one.” 

“Say no more, aunt,” said the viscount, as he 
assisted his relative into the house. “ It is now of no 
consequence, and I certainly have been greatly de- 
lighted with so remarkable an exhibition.” 

They entered the drawing-room, and seating them- 
selves, the viscount partook of cake and wine witli 
Madam Carteret. 

The conversation continuing on the subject of the 
old lady’s pensioners, her nephew requested her to 
give him some information as to her reasons for 
adopting such an eccentric whim. 

“For five years,” said Madam Carteret, “ the 
scene you have just witnessed — excepting its disagree- 
able features — has occurred daily. I was led to the 
eccentricity, as you rightly denominate it, from the 
simple fact of noticing numbers of stray dogs in the 
street — many of them valuable, and all of them 
apparently starving. With the aid of Adolph, I 
succeeded in enticing two or three of them into the 
yard, by offering them food, and soon found that 
they not only returned themselves at about the same 
hour every day, but frequently brought others with 
them; as all were kindly treated, my visitors soon 


TEE MALACHITE GROSS. 


'21 


became numerous, and on some occasions I have 
counted as many as one hundred in the courtyard at a 
time. 

“My system of discipline was undertaken as a 
matter of amusement, but succeeded so far beyond 
my anticipations that I sought to develop the 
capacities and powers of the animals from a higher 
purpose. I studied their habits, learned to heal their 
ailments, and found ample reward in their evident 
attachment and devotion to me. Frequently, when I 
rode or walked out, I met them, and was always 
recognized with every possible evidence of friendly 
delight and affection. 

“ And while I think of it, nephew, might I request 
you to obtain for me a new work on this subject, 
which has just been published, and whose title I have 
in my reticule ? ’’ 

Producing from that receptacle a small piece of 
paper, she handed it to the viscount. 

After reading the title he said, “As I do not leave 
Paris until to-morrow, aunt : I will take pleasure in 
procuring this work for you to-day, and will bring it 
here, if you will permit me, this evening.” 

“I thank you, nephew,” replied his aunt, “and 
shall be delighted to see you once more before your 
departure.” 

So saying, she rose from the couch on which she 
sat, and taking the arm of her maid, who had just 
entered, gave her hand to the viscount, who respect- 
fully kissed it, and she passed out of the room. The 
viscount then took his hat and cane, passed out of the 
house, and, with his usual quick step, walked off in 
the direction of the Champs Ely sees. 


28 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


The book for his aunt was soon purchased at a 
book-store where he was acquainted and where he 
requested permission to occupy a desk while he wrote 
a letter. 

This request being graciously granted, the viscount 
seated himself, and wrote as follows : 

‘‘ Paris, June 19th, 1843. 

“My Dear and Eespected Mother: Agreeable 
to my promise made to you just previous to my 
leaving Brillet-shr-Loire, I write to inform you that 
I shall leave Paris to-morrow for the south of Italy, 
possibly extending my tour by the Mediterranean to 
Turkey and Egypt, and even to Palestine. You will 
not be alarmed if my absence should be prolonged, 
as you know I am well able to take care of myself. 

“I have seen madam, my beloved aunt, and find 
her quite feeble, though her mind is as strong, her 
senses as clear, and her heart as kindly as ever. 
She desires her warmest love to you, her youngest and 
best beloved sister. 

“ I take Pierre with me. Eemember us both to all 
the good people in your service. If I have occasion 
to draw on you, I will do so through MM. d’Herblay, 
Patinat & Co. 

“ With sincere devotion and respect for yourself and 
my honored father, I am your son, Honore. 

“ (A Madame la Comtesse de Yalmy, Brillet-shr-Loire, 
Touraine, France.” 

By the time this epistle was concluded and deposited 
in the mail it was three o’clock. 

The viscount next visited various furnishing stores, 
where he purchased sundry articles of apparel and 
other necessaries and luxuries, including a money-belt 
for carrying gold on the person in a place of safety. 
These articles he ordered to be sent to his house. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


29 


He next obtained full directions concerning the 
hour at which the late train left Paris for Rouen, and 
as all this had brought the time to six o’clock he 
called a fiacre and was driven rapidly to his rooms, 
entering which, he found Monsieur Pierre indus- 
triously polishing a mirror. 

“ Dinner at seven, Pierre,” said the viscount, and 
retired to his bed-chamber. 


CHAPTER lY. 

THE STORY THAT WAS TOLD TO PIERRE. 

Pierre — and if he bore any other name, it had 
been long since forgotten — was an old retainer of the 
house of De Yalmy. From his earliest childhood, he 
had followed the fortunes of the family, and had 
acquired a certain influence which apparently faithful 
and tried service will always command. So it had 
come to pass in these latter years he had been 
attached specially to the service of the present vis- 
count, whose confidence he enjoyed, even to an extent 
unsuspected by his master. 

The light of the setting sun, which shone through 
tlie window full upon the figure of the valet, as he 
turned upon his heel when the viscount closed the 
door of the inner room, exhibited a square, small- 
framed man, about forty years of age, with pale, 
shrunken features, and low brow, surmounted by thin, 
yellowish hair. His eyes were devoid of expression ; 
but something in the cast of his face, something in the 
nervous frame, something in his cat-like tread, hinted 
at the possession of faculties far removed from the 
stolidity usually met with in provincials of his degree^ 


30 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Treading lightly on the soft carpet, he stepped to a 
window, and stood for a moment tapping with his 
fingers upon the glass. 

Presently, he muttered to himself, in a low tone : 
“What devil’s work is the viscount planning now? 
Smooth-tongued hypocrite — how I hate him ! But I 
am sure he must be going to leave Paris to-night, 
and I don’t believe in the south of Italy story. I 
must see Father Gronevitch.” He stood a moment 
longer in deep thought, and then left the room to 
order the viscount’s dinner. 

At precisely seven o’clock, dinner was served, and 
Pierre knocked on his master’s door. The viscount 
replied to him, and in a few moments came out and 
seated himself at the table. For some time nothing 
was said, but at length the viscount turned to his 
valet — who waited at the table as Avas his custom — 
and said, “Pierre, I shall leave Paris in the train for 
Eouen at half-past eleven. You will have a carriage, 
Avith my trunks at the corner of the Eue Lenoir, at a 
quarter before eleven ; be punctual. Here is money to 
settle my account.” 

Pierre took the purse and boAved, but said nothing ; 
the expression of the viscount’s face did not invite 
questioning. 

The viscount sat at the table longer than usual, 
and it Avas half-past eight Avhen he rose. Pierre also 
observed that he drank more freely than usual, and 
talked less. 

On leaving the table, the viscount took his hat, 
cane, and a light spring OA^ercoat and left the house, 
saying as he closed the door : “ Pierre, do not fail to 
be piinctual,” 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


31 


The valet called the waiter to clear the table, sent 
for the bill and discharged it, and then also went out, 
leaving word that his master’s luggage, which was 
already packed, would be called for. He first went 
to a neighboring stand and secured a carriage, into 
which he got, and was driven swiftly up one street and 
down another, until the carriage turned a corner, and 
in a few moments stopped in answer to a signal from 
Pierre, who gave the driver some orders, in a low 
tone, and then walked quickly down the street. 

The street was the Kue des Juives, and the house in 
front of which Pierre presently halted, was the 
residence of Father Gronevitch. 

The bell was answered by the old man in person, 
clad in his long gown and black cap. 

Enter, my son,” he said, and Pierre followed him, 
closing the door behind him. But, instead of going 
upstairs. Father Gronevitch opened a door leading 
from the hall, and introduced Pierre into what ap- 
peared to be a library— a large room heavily wain- 
scoted, and shelved on all sides, to support several 
thousand ancient and gloomy looking tomes. 

A candle burned in a silver bracket against the 
wall, heavy carved chairs were strewn about the 
room, and its whole appearance was gloomy and 
funereal. 

“ Be seated, Pierre,” said the father ; “ I expected 
you.” 

“ Why ? ” ejaculated Pierre. 

‘‘Because to-night furnishes the last opportunity you 
can ever have of learning what I alone can tell, and 
what is of so much importance for you to know.” 

“ And why to-night. Father Gronevitch ? ” 


32 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ To-night, at half-past eleven, you will leave Paris 
with the viscount, for Havre ; you will reach Rouen 
at half -past two ; at four you will start for Havre by 
post, and having relays of horses on the road, you will 
arrive at Havre at twelve ; you will immediately go on 
board the American packet-ship Mohican, and will 
sail for Hew York, where you will arrive on the 
thirtieth of July.” 

Pierre had listened breathlessly, and now sat with 
clasped hands, pale and astonished; but he said 
nothing. 

The old man continued : “ You have known me ever 
since you were a child, and I have known you more 
than forty-three years. When I first saw you, I saw 
a newborn infant— from that hour I have never lost 
sight of you. How many times have I saved your 
life ? ” 

In a stifled voice, which seemed to come from some- 
Avhere underground, Pierre replied : “ Four times !” 

“ How many times have I preserved your reputation 
and yourself from ruin ? ” 

“ Many ! ” spoke the stifled voice again. 

“Good! The hour has now come to inform you 
fully, and to advance one more step in my cherished 
purpose.” 

The old man sat in silence for a moment, and then 
said: “You will obey me implicitly in what I am 
about to command you ? ” 

“ I will ! ” said the voice. 

“Listen! Forty-four years ago, I was a young 
man, a farmer, owning my own farm and stock, in a 
fertile valley in the province of Touraine. My estate 
lay near the great property of the Count de Yalmy, 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


33 


father of the present viscount — a man about my own 
age, rich, haughty, and entirely his own master, as his 
father was long since dead. The little village of 
Brillet-stir-Loire, which you so well know, was a favor- 
ite resort of the young and better class of farmers in 
the neighborhood, attracted by its charming scenery, 
its rich wine, and chiefly by the beauty of its maidens. 
Among these latter, the fairest of all was the young 
Lisette Gravier, whose father kept the axiberge where 
we all stopped on our frequent visits. The lawn be- 
fore the little house was at such times the scene of 
much merriment and harmless familiarity : and as I 
was acknowledged the chosen one of Lisette, I was 
perfectly happy. 

“ One day, after we had been dancing, and were 
resting ourselves under the trees, I sat by Lisette, with 
my arm about her waist, while we sipped the wine, 
and I watched the beautiful color that excitement, 
love and the dance had brought to her cheeks. 

“ While we sat thus, we heard the sound of horses’ 
feet, and in a few moments the Count de Yalmy rode 
up, accompanied by two or three other gentlemen. 

“ The count was tall, and very handsome, with heavy 
black mustache and dark flashing eyes and curling 
hair. As he reined in his horse and gazed for a 
moment on the scene, his eye caught sight of the 
blushing Lisette, and at once calling for the hostler, 
he insisted that his friends should join him in tasting 
the new wine. They all alighted, and the count drew 
near to Lisette, while I respectfully rose from my 
seat and removed to a short distance ; for though the 
count was of the old regime^ he was a strong Bona- 
partist, and in high favor with the first consul, and 


34 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


all his tenants paid his family due respect and acknowl- 
edgement. Indeed, I felt proud of his attention to 
Lisette ; and when, after half an hour, he rose and 
kissed her cheek, shook my liand and complimented 
me on my choice, I would have gone through fire and 
water for him. 

“ Three months after, Lisette and I were married 
and for some time lived happily enough together ; 
but Lisette was vain — as she had good right to be — 
and fond of fine clothes : and I dressed her as gayly as 
possible, ever satisfied with a smile or a few words 
of thanks. Once or twice I saw the count who some- 
times stopped at our door as he was riding by, and 
would then enter and take a glass of wine and a piece 
of cake with us ; but it was not until long after that I 
learned the terrible truth. 

“ Six months after our marriage I discovered how 
fearfully my confidence had been betrayed by both 
my wife and the count. They had been in the habit 
of having secret meetings, until he had finally 
betrayed her, and on her death-bed she acknowledged 
to me, in an agony of penitent remorse, that the child 
whose birth was the cause of her death, was the 
count’s. 

“I sold my little home after her burial, gave the 
boy into the care of a neighbor, and joining the 
army of the republic, sought in battle to lose my 
memory and even life itself. 

‘‘But although I was always in the thickest of 
the fight, and was promoted until I became a sous- 
lieu tenant, it was not in fate that I should die thus. 
I left the army, and returned to my old home ; but 
not to stay. I felt sorne curiosity to know what had 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


35 


become of Lisette’s child, and without making m3^self 
known I learned that the count had caused him to be 
taken to his own estate, where he was growing up 
among the servants, while no one knew of his real 
parentage. It was supposed that I had fled from the 
scene from grief at the loss of my wife, and had been 
killed in battle, and I permitted that belief to remain 
as the truth. 

“But in the depths of my heart I had secretly 
sworn that I would one day have such sweet revenge 
on him, who had thus blasted my innocent life, as 
should amply repay me for waiting, and should so cut 
him to the soul as that all his wealth and power 
should be as dust and ashes. 

“I traveled in the east; I visited Egypt and 
Arabia, and studied chemistry and the black-art; I 
learned how to save a life as by a miracle, and how to 
destroy it by means of scientific discovery. I grew 
rich, powerful, but my desire for vengeance was as 
yet unsated. 

“At length the means were thrown in m^^ path, and 
for three years I have been working silently, until 
now the end is in view. • 

“ To-night the first step will be taken, and by his 
own son. It will take time for the conclusion, but I 
shall live to see it. 

“I have never lost sight of the Count de Yalmy in 
all these years. 

“ He married into a wealthy and noble family, and, 
as you know, had many children ; but, with the 
exception of your master, they were all girls, and all 
died. The whole heart and soul of the old man 
exist in that son, and through him must the blow be 
struck. 


36 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


‘‘You think this a strange story, Pierre; and you 
wonder why I have told it to you ? Listen ! 

“When my wife made her confession to me in 
her dying hour, she also showed me a certificate of 
her marriage to the count, which had been performed 
in a neighboring town, during my temporary absence 
in Paris, before my own marriage. I obtained the 
certificate ; I found the witnesses ; and by giving them 
an opportunity to see the count, received from them 
on oath, a written statement that he was the one who, 
under an assumed name, had married my betrothed. 
They had been bought to silence, but by paying them 
liberally and threatening them with exposure, I gained 
my wish. 

“ I still hold those papers, but the hour is not yet 
ripe for the consummation of my schemes. You, 
Pierre, must assist me ; for you are most interested in 
my success. 

“Yes! You, reared in the stable, the despised 
servant ; and then when the secret of your life had 
been perhaps forgotten by the author of it, the con- 
fidential companion of him who had supplanted you ! 
You are the heir of the wealth and title of the Count 
de Valmy. You 1 and not he who struts as your 
master, are the Yiscount de Yalmy 1 ” 

The old man had risen from his seat, as he spoke 
the last few sentences, his eyes flashed, he shook his 
clinched hands in the air, while his tremendous frame 
seemed to dilate into giant proportions with the 
terrible power of his wrath. 

Pierre, who had listened to the story so strangely 
told, without the slightest idea of its bearing on him- 
self, but who had been wrought up to the highest 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


37 


pitch of excitement by the interest of the tale and 
the circumstances surrounding it, had fallen prostrate 
on his face when the final culmination had flashed its 
full truth into his mind. He lay speechless and sense- 
less, until the old man, taking from a drawer in the 
table a small flask, applied it to his lips, when he 
gradually revived 

As soon as Pierre had fully recovered from the 
shock. Father Grohevitch continued : 

“ At what hour, and where are you to meet your 
master ? ’’ 

“ At the corner of the Kue Lenoir, at a quarter 
before eleven ! replied Pierre. 

“ It is now nearly ten,” said the old man. You will 
on your arrival in Hew York make every effort to 
discover all particulars concerning the daily life of 
your master, and write to me in full with regard to 
these. 

‘‘ The viscount will have secreted either about his 
person, or in some other secure place, a small Malachite 
Cross. You will acquaint yourself with its hiding- 
place, and, when you are so ordered by me, will 
possess yourself of it under such circumstances as will 
utterly preclude his disco veering its whereabouts. 
Having done so, you will inform me of the fact when 
a letter Avill be received by the viscount, enjoining his 
immediate return to Paris. You will return with 
him, and on your arrival will communicate with me 
at once. Do not depart in any particular from these 
instructions ! Here is money ; you will need it. It 
is now time for 3^011 to go. Hemember ! ” 

The old man gave Pierre a purse of gold, and he, 
more as if in a dream than in his senses, took his 


38 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


hat and passed out of the room and the house with- 
out a word. 

He walked to the carriage which was waiting — 
having returned to the viscount’s lodgings for his 
baggage. Pierre entered, and ordering the driver 
to proceed rapidly to the corner of the Hue Lenoir, 
threw himself . back in his seat, and tried to compose 
himself to think of the astounding revelation of the 
evening . 

What could be the intended revenge of Father 
Gronevitch ? What the importance of the Malachite 
Cross? Was he indeed the Viscount de Yalmy; 
and if so, was not this to be his own just vengeance 
on those who had defrauded him? With these, and 
many other questions darting wildly through his con- 
fused brain, Pierre fell fast asleep, just as the carriage 
stopped at the corner of the Kue Lenoir, and a bell 
sounded the half hour after ten. 


CIIAPTEP V. 

THE MUEDER IN THE RUE LENOIR. 

It was past nine when the Viscount de Valmy pre- 
sented himself before Madam Carteret in her private 
apartment. He was received with the same cordiality 
and affection which had marked his two visits pre- 
ceding, but he noted that his aunt looked more feeble 
than before, and that her hand was cold and clammy 
when he took it in his own. 

Eeceiving from him the book which he had pur- 
chased for her, she said : “ I thank you, nephew, for 
your kindness in attending to my commission, but I 
fear I shall have little opportunity in the future to 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


39 


make use of any information I may derive from it. I 
have fed my poor dumb pensioners for the last 
time.’’ 

“ I am sorry, aunt, that you feel so doubtful about 
your health, but I hope in a few days you will be in 
better spirits. In the meantime, why do you not em- 
ploy one of your servants to supply your place in this 
matter ? ” 

“ I have already done so, and hereafter Marguerite 
will act as lady bountiful in my stead. She has before 
this made herself very useful to me in that capacity. 
She understands the poor creatures and they know 
and love her. If anything should happen to me, I 
have made provision for her in my will with this in- 
tent, and she will continue to live here, and do for my 
favorites all she can, that they shall not feel my loss. 
And while I am speaking on this subject, I must tell 
you, Honore, that I have not forgotten you, or all 
your kindness to me in past years ” 

‘‘ Do not speak of that, aunt, if you love me ! ” said 
the viscount excitedly. “ You are always too good to 
me; but I am sure your thoughts are unnecessarily 
gloomy.” Looking at his watch, he rose hastily, while 
his face flushed, and said : “ I will leave you now, aunt, 
to the rest I am sure you need. Farewell!” He 
pressed his lips to the old lady’s hand, and bowing 
deeply, left the room. 

As he reached the middle of the staircase, he saw 
Marguerite ascending as on the evening before. It 
was ten o’clock, and she held in Iier left hand the 
candle, and in her right the small blue paper contain- 
ing her mistress’ powder. The viscount passed down- 
stairs on her right side; his face was now pale, and 


40 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


his lips pressed tightly together. As he neared her, 
she stopped and looked at him with a pleasant smile 
‘‘ Marguerite,” said he, “ I must bid you good-bye 1 ” 

“Are you going away, viscount? ” said she. 

“ Yes, I leave town to-morrow, to be gone for a long 
time ; but when I return I shall expect to find you as 
pretty as ever.” 

She trembled and flushed, while her eyes were wet 
with tears. The viscount took her right hand in his, 
and either through its trembling, or from some other 
cause, the powder slipped from her fingers, and fell 
some steps lower down. 

“ Oh, there goes madam’s powder ! ” cried the girl. 

The viscount stooped to pick it up, and whether it 
was hard to find or not, he took so long about it that 
the girl was returning to assist him, when he raised 
himself from his stooping position, saying : “ Here it 
is,” and handed it to her. She looked at it for a 
moment, and said : “ I am glad it is not broken.” 

Then the viscount kissed her twice, and saying, 
“ Farewell, my pretty Marguerite, I will let myself out 
of the door,” he walked slowly downstairs. Just then. 
Madam Carteret’s bell rang, and Marguerite, who 
seemed hesitating, ran quickly to answer it. 

The viscount opened the door and closed it with a 
loud clang ; he then quietly entered the drawing-room 
and seated himself in a corner, shutting the door after 
him. 

For a few moments he heard footsteps in the room 
above, which was Madam Carteret’s; then a door 
closed, and Marguerite’s footsteps sounded as she 
passed up to her own apartment; then all was 
silent. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


41 


A few moments more passed, and the viscount sat 
listening intently, when suddenly he heard a sound as 
of a heavy fall over his head. He sprang quickly to 
the door, opened it noiselessly, and stood for an instant 
at the foot of the stairs, hesitating ; then he walked 
resolutely up, and into his aunt’s room. 

The candles were burning brightly ; the fire diffused 
a cheerful warmth through the room ; and save one 
thing, it appeared as it had when he left it half an 
hour ago. 

On the floor, in front of her chair, lying full upon 
her face, the kind and genial old lady lay still in the 
stillness of death. The blue paper which had held the 
powder had fallen on the floor beside her, and the 
viscount picked it up and threw it into the fire, where 
it blazed up and moldered into ashes. 

He then moved mechanically and silently to the 
ebony cabinet, and drawing the key with the crutch- 
handle from his pocket applied it to the lock ; the door 
opened at once, and disclosed a number of drawers. 
Opening them one after another, the viscount searched 
eagerly for something, now and then wiping the per- 
spiration from his face with the back of his hand. He 
had nearly reached the last drawer, when suddenl}^ he 
gave a slight cry, and held up to the light a small 
cross exquisitely shaped of the finest malachite, which 
he had taken from the velvet-lined morocco case in 
which it was enclosed. 

Its color was a light sea-green, its polish like that 
of an emerald ; and as the flames from the fire and the 
candle flashed upon it, it seemed to fill the room with 
a pale radiance, as of sun-lit verdure, or the trans- 
lucent wave. 


42 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


The viscount gazed at it for a moment as though 
his very soul would force its way out through his e^^es ; 
then, with a start, he secreted the case containing the 
cross carefully about his person, and closing the 
drawers, locked the cabinet, and, with one glance at the 
prostrate figure of his aunt, left the room, shutting the 
door carefully behind him. How he got out into the 
courtyard he could not tell, but, the fresh breeze blow- 
ing upon his face found him walking rapidly toward 
the outer gate ; this he opened, and passed through it, 
up the Kue Lenoir to the corner, and there the car- 
riage with the sleeping Pierre inside, and the driver 
also asleep on the box, were waiting for him. He 
roused them both, and ordering the driver to proceed 
at once to the terminus of the Paris and Kouen 
railway stepped into the carriage, and was driven 
rapidly away. 


CHAPTEK YI. 

THE HAUNTED HOUSE. 

The well-known firm of Yardie & Co., importers 
and dealers in wines, Lyons silks and velvets, etc., had 
their office in Liberty street,]Srew York and, in the year 
1843, stood high among merchants, mercantile agencies 
being then unknown, and the present spy-system 
with its register of personal affairs and private habits 
things of the future. 

Gabriel Yardie, a rosy -cheeked, white-haired French- 
man, sat in his office on the thirty-first day of July, 
1843, reading his rather voluminous correspondence. 
To him there entered a dapper little French clerk. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


43 


who, laying a package before his employer, remarked : 
“The papers of the Mohican, sir; the captain is 
waiting to see you.’’ 

“ Admit him,” said the merchant. 

Presently there came in the captain of the packet- 
ship Mohican : a gentlemanly-appearing sailor, as 
befitted the master of a passenger vessel, and the 
servant of so gentlemanly a firm as that of Yardie 
Co. 

“Be seated, captain,” said Yardie, as he proceeded 
to examine the ship’s manifest and passenger-list. 
“ You had a favorable voyage. Not many passengers, 
I observe.” 

“ No, sir ; five in the cabin and fifteen steerage. 
And, by the way, Mr. Yardie, that reminds me that 
one of the passengers — cabin, of course — is anxious 
to find a house somewhere in the city, that he may 
occupy as his residence while here ; though he ex- 
pects to travel during the summer, and not to locate 
himself permanently in town until autumn. I told 
him you might be able to obtain such for him, and 
I would speak to you about it ; and he will probably 
call here to-day or to-morrow.” 

“ I think I have in my charge just what will suit 

him, though But no matter ! If he calls I will tell 

him about it, and if you see him I will thank you to 
mention it. 

The two men entered upon business affairs having 
reference to the ship, and shortly after the captain 
took his departure. 

On the foil wing morning M. Yardie was again at 
his desk, when the clerk entered and presented him 
with a card. 


44 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ Yiscount Honore cle Yalmy ! ” read the merchant 
aloud. 

“ Ask him in. Likely enough our passenger in 
search of a residence,” he muttered to himself ; and 
then the door opened, and our old acquaintance, 
dressed in his usual style of quiet elegance, and look- 
ing perhaps a little pale, and thin after his sea voyage, 
entered, and made his acknowledgements. 

M. Yardie was a republican ; but, like all provincial 
tradesmen in France — and this condition had been 
formerly his — had a high regard for the old noblesse, 
lie accordingly rose and received the viscount, as one 
might almost say, respectfully, and requesting him to 
be seated, w^aited to hear his business. 

‘‘ I called, M. Yardie, at the suggestion of Captain 
Pattinet, with whom I came over, to ask your assist- 
ance in obtaining a suitable house for my town resi- 
dence while in New York. I shall probably travel, 
during the summer, among some of your noted places 
of resort, but I anticipate spending the autumn and 
winter in this city, and require a comfortable 
furnished house. Can you aid me ? ” 

‘‘ It happens, my dear sir, that I have in my charge 
what I think will answer your purpose exactly. The 
house is situated in a fashionable quarter, is well- 
furnished, and in all respects is suited for a bachelor 
establishment. There is one objection to it, however, 
which may not seem such to you; in every other 
respect, I can recommend it.” 

“ And that objection ? ” 

“The house has the reputation — I laugh at such 
notions myself~of being haunted ; and, in fact, was 
surrendered into my hands by the owner on that 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


45 


account. I am desired by him to find a tenant who 
has strong nerves, and the rent to such an one will be 
merely nominal ; though, of course, I presume that 
need not be referred to.” 

“You are quite right,” said the viscount; “the 
amount of rent is of no special moment, and as to the 
objection to which you refer, I must say that neither 
my education nor my nature move me to consider 
it such.” Ilis lip curled slightly as he said this, and 
he proceeded : “ I am not myself easily afflicted by 

imaginary terrors, and I have no one with me but my 
valet and confidential servant, who is, if possible, 
more obtuse in receiving such ideas than I am. If 
you will kindly make an appointment with me to have 
the house exhibited, I dare say it will suit me exactly, 
and I am desirious of having the matter off my mind.” 

“ I am not surprised at your views of my ‘objection’ ; 
indeed, I should have been astonished if you had con- 
sidered the matter differently. Where are you stop- 
ping now, if I may ask ? ” 

The viscount named the hotel at which he was 
staying, and an engagement was made for three o’clock 
in the afternoon of the same day, when the old mer- 
chant was to call at the hotel with a carriage, and 
together they were to go and view the suitable 
“ bachelor establishment.” 

Precisely at the moment named, a carriage stopped 
at the door of De Yaliny’s hotel, and Yardie sent up 
his card by a servant. In a few moments the vis- 
count appeared, entered the carriage, and they were 
driven leisurely up Broadway. 

Fashionable society in those days not being so ex- 
tensive as it has since grown, was not consolidated 


4G THE MALACHITE CROSS. 

into any one locality. Fifth avenue and Madison 
avenue had not yet achieved a reputation and were 
by no means held in their present esteem. Pleasant 
and aristocratic family residences there were in Mur- 
ray street, Warren street, and College place ; but the 
fiat of fashion had gone forth, and all upper-tenclom 
held sway “above Bleecker,” and eschewed those 
lower portions of the city that have since succumbed 
to the force of circumstances and the laws of trade, 
and gone to extend the vast mercantile growth of the 
Empire City of the West. 

“Above Bleecker,” accordingly, rolled the carriage 
with the Yiscount de Yalmy and Gabriel Yardie, and 
presently turned to the left into F ourth street. 

On the upper side of that street, not far from Wash- 
ington square, and where now are erected stately 
stores, there stood a three-story brick building in the 
center of a large courtyard, which was flagged and 
walled. The house was old, and the windows were 
closed with heavy wooden shutters, which gave it a 
very gloomy and ])rison-like aspect, not likely to be at 
all reassuring to any tenant who had heard of its 
ghostly reputation, and had any superstitious senti- 
ments on such subjects. But the Viscount de Yalmy, 
as he had himself stated, was influenced by no such 
weakness. He possessed physical and moral courage 
to a considerable degree, as we have already seen 
both tried in the course of this history, without pro- 
ducing in him any serious amount of discomposure. 

As the carriage drew up to the door, he looked 
curiously at the house, and remarked : “ Its appear- 

ance agrees with its repute certainly, but that can 
easily be made right.’’ 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


47 


M. Yardie unlocked the door, and the two entered. 
“The old woman who is its usual custodian,” he said, 
“ is away just now.” 

There Avas a musty smell about the place, which at 
once attracted the viscount’s attention. 

“ Is the place not damp ? ” he said. 

“ Oh, no ; not in the least. It has been so long 
closed up and the light excluded, that it would seem 
so, certainly ; but it is an old and Avell-seasoned build- 
ing, and the land on which it is built is over a good 
system of drainage, and on that score you need have 
no fears.” 

“ I am glad to hear that, for, though I have no fear 
of intangible apparitions in ordinary, I have a most 
Avholesome terror and distrust of that particular one 
called malaria.” 

M. Yardie laughed, and, proceeding to open the 
Avindows and tho big Avooden shutters, the August 
afternoon sun streamed in from the south, and the 
large room on the right of the Avide hall Avhich they 
had entered first, Avas at once flooded Avith light and 
Avarmth. 

A feAV spiders, disturbed by this uuAAmnted visita- 
tion, darted, half-blinded, along their Avebs and into 
secluded nooks and crevices. A feAV black beetles 
crawled across the floor at their feet and vanished into 
obscurity ; and a bat, Avhich had somehoAV gained 
entrance here in times past, and Avhich had doubtless 
groAvn fat on the insect life Avhich flourished about 
him, flapped his Avings, and floundered inconsequently 
over their heads and against the AA^alls. 

The room had been a draAving-room in the old days, 
and Avas still furnished as left by a former occupant, 


48 


THE MALACHITE CR0S8. 


who had evidently been a person of wealth and taste. 
Carved rosewood and ebony, tables of ormolu and 
Florentine mosaic, odds and ends of furniture tempus 
Louis XY. — gilding and carving were now alike worn 
with age, and begrimed with the dust of years. 

The heavy velvet carpets showed marks of the in- 
roads of the moth. Spiders and earwigs rioted in 
the walls. Everything bore token of desertion, of 
neglect, of carelessness. 

A piano stood open in one corner, its keys tawny, 
yellow with age. The viscount crossed the room and 
ran his fingers lightly over the key-board. A plaintive 
discord, as of wailing over its untuned strings, sounded 
mournfully from the instrument. All was in keeping. 

“ I had intended,’’ said the viscount, as he gazed 
about him, curiously, “ to have furnished my new 
residence after my own fashion ; but there is a certain 
congeniality between these ancient articles and the 
atmosphere, as well as the reputation of the house, 
that inclines me to make fewer alterations — at least in 
this room — than I would perhaps have done had this 
not been the case. I suppose from its appearance, that 
the furniture goes with the house ? ” 

‘‘ Precisely as you see it,” answered the merchant. 

But let us proceed.” There were four large rooms 
upon this floor, besides an L, in which were the 
kitchen and other oflices. 

One of these rooms was a chamber, whose furniture 
was all in rosewood — the huge bedstead was hung 
with an old-fashioned canopy and curtains ; and a 
monstrous Chinese screen, covered with the quaint 
designs, in defiance of perspective, peculiar to the 
Celestial mind, stood before the great fireplace, in 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


49 


which a pair of rusty old brass fire-dogs kept guard 
over a pile of gray wood-ashes. 

Between this room and the one fronting on the 
courtyard, and across the hall from the drawing-room, 
were hung heavy tapestry curtains. These the vis- 
count examined with the eye of a connoisseur. 

“Gobelins, M. Yardie, if I am a judge.” 

“ You are quite right, M. le Yiscount, it is Gobelins 
tapestry of their best workmanship.” 

“ My dear sir,” continued the viscount, “ I imagined 
I should obtain some respectable citizen’s dwelling, and 
you transport me at once among the belongings of a 
seventeenth century virtuoso. I am infinitely obliged 
to you, and shall take the place at once.” 

“I am gratified that it suits you,” responded Yardie. 
“ You can enter upon possession as soon as you please. 
The rent, as I observed, is merely nominal ” 

“ N^ever mind the rent. Make me your tenant from 
this moment, and send me the bill in advance.” 

“ Shall I say for three months ? ” 

“ Say for a year.” 

“ But the ghosts, viscount ? ” 

“We shall agree excellently well together, I am 
sure. Ghosts who have the good taste to revel among 
such prize articles of vertu are certain to approve 
themselves at once to my closest criticism of their 
kind.” 

M. Yardie laughed a hearty laugh. “ It shall then 
be as you say. Let your valet make such additions 
for your comfort as you need, and I trust you may 
not find occasion to repent of your bargain.” 

They went carelessly over the remainder of the 
rooms, in which much lumber of the same kind as 


50 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


they had already inspected was scattered about in 
profusion. De Yalmy expressed himself delighted 
with everything. Gabriel Yardie closed the house, and 
offering the viscount a seat in his carriage the two re- 
paired to the hotel, where the merchant left his new 
friend, after extracting from him a promise to dine 
with him at his residence a few miles out of town on 
the following Sunday. 

On the day after his inspection of his new abode, 
the viscount and his valet, ^^ith the aid of servants 
kindly engaged by M. Yardie, employed themselves 
in purchasing and arranging such articles as Avere re- 
quired for the bouse in Fourth street. 

JSTot that the entire establishment could be settled in 
a day, however. In fact, it took several days before 
the place was in a fit condition for residence. 

Carpets Avere taken up and shaken, the furniture 
Avas scoured and repaired, rich curtains Avere hung at 
the AvindoAvs, previous to Avhich purchase the sun Avas 
permitted to stream in all day long, enabling the rooms 
to regain a healthy tone and a natural atmosphere. 

And so it happened that it Avas the end of the Aveek 
before the viscount and his valet, Avith his retinue of 
new servants, had moved in, and Avere comfortably 
domiciled. 

Fatigued Avith the labor of the change, the viscount 
remained at home on his first evening in the old house 
and took the opportunity to apprise himself of the 
contents of the manuscript which had been given to 
him by Father Gronevitch. 

The Avorthy necromancer of the -Eue des Juives had 
overlooked one important fact in commending the 
Avork to the viscount for reading during the voyage — 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


51 


he had forgotten the Frenchman’s proverbial, 
antagonism to the sea. The viscount had been too sea- 
sick to read anything. 


CHAPTER VI. 

THE SECRET OF THE MALACHITE CROSS. 

Seated by a round table in the center of the apart- 
ment of the Gobelins tapesty, on the night of his 
accession to residence in his new domain, the Viscount 
de Valmy began the perusal of the manuscript given 
to him by Father Gronevitch. 

The manuscript was written in the Persian language 
and on parchment. Beneath each line was a trans- 
lation of the same into French. The entire work 
covered only a few pages, and proceeded as follows : 

“ I Mohammed Ben Sadi, oil merchant of Shiraz 
being driven to cross the frontier and travel over the 
steppes of Tartary, and even to southern Asia, was 
overtaken by a band of Russian miscreants — may 
Allah confound their souls ! They seized me, robbed 
me of that which I had gained by the sale of my 
Avares, bound me on the back of a horse, and led me, 
confused and bewildered, at a pace to which that of 
the fastest camel is but a slow motion, over the desert 
and away into the Ural mountains. 

“ There, for months, I toiled in their mines. The 
master of these ruffians Avas a nobleman Avhose lands 
extended as far as the setting sun, and beneath Avhose 
sods lay untold Avealth in jeAvels and in metals of 
which these barbarians fashion strange utensils and 
weapons of war. But the chiefest of all its valuable 
contents Avas a stone Avhich they termed malachite. 


52 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ Now this stone does not lie, as the diamond does, at 
the bottom of running streams, but rests in great 
masses and crooked lumps in the very bowels of the 
earth. It is green, as to color, as the grass lies green 
around Damascus, and they do not make of it single 
jewels, as they do of the diamond and the ruby, but 
form it into armlets and chains, Avhich they wear about 
their necks and over their breasts. 

“ But so fragile and brittle is it that it is with the 
utmost difficulty that pieces large enough for this use 
can be obtained. Though I have heard that some- 
times masses so large have been discovered that even 
slabs have been formed from it for use in some of their 
domestic furniture. 

“Among: the band of miners to which I was 
attached, was one, who, like myself, had been seized 
a prisoner, and conveyed thither from his home, 
which, he told me, was in distant India. He was 
of the Magi, and knew of the black art and white 
magic, and could summon spirits. You will ask, as I 
did, why he did not summon them to release him, and 
I will answer you as he did me, that through some 
forbidden act which he had performed, his powers 
had been taken from him by the masters whom he had 
served. 

“ From him I learned the properties and powers 
which this strange stone, named malachite, possessed, 
but only in certain forms. What surprised me greatly 
was his assurance that one to whom should come the 
opportunity of finding malachite by nature carved in 
the form of that which Christian dogs term the 
‘ true cross,’ should be blessed above all other men. 
‘For/ said this ancient seer, while I childlike, 


Tilt, malachite cross. 


53 


listened with awe and wonder, ‘ this world of ours is 
peopled with strange beings to thee unknown, 
Mohammed. The air around us is the home of spirits, 
formless and invisible to mortal sight, yet which watch 
over us for good and evil, and who are bound to 
silence with us, save when somewhere some strange 
instrument, like this of malachite, springs from the 
earth to give them language. 

“ ‘ To him who holds the cross of malachite, 
are power and influence so long as it is his. Each 
power and influence responds to properties within 
this stone. Its possessor holds as with a grasp of 
iron, the hearts of those whom he so wills to hold. 
Fortune will cling to him and gold fly to his coffers. 
By love and hate and ever}^ principle that actuates 
men’s hearts, he wields a potent force. This, while 
he owns the cross. And by its means, by vision that 
is given not to other men, he sees Avhen danger nears 
him, and obtains the means to guard himself or to 
evade it. 

“ ‘ But all these merits, like the gifts bestoAved upon 
the fairy-guarded princess, have yet a bane behind 
them, as the one the revengeful fairy forced on her. 
With all the croAvning glories of the cross, there clings 
to it one fatal mission : it is to destroy ; for he Avho, 
while he holds it, gains what he Avill of all earth offers 
of its lavish AA^ealth and beautiful possessions, must in 
the end surrender these to him avIio next its master is ; 
and each and every changing master who thus comes, 
comes by the sword, the axe, the poison-cup, the 
flame.’ 

‘‘Thus said the seer. That in my mind the story 
rested is no Avonder. I thought of it by day, as toiling 


54 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


with the heavy tools I wielded, I dug from out the 
rocks the verdant masses. I dreamed of it by night, 
and seemed in those dreams to be the master of the cross 
and all its wondrous gifts. And so time fled. I grew 
thin and weary. My » supple limbs, constrained by 
labor foreign to my soul, became as stone, so did they 
weigh beneath me. I grew sick, even unto death ; 
but one day, while I labored, as was my wont, there 
grew upon me, suddenly, a sense of something strange, 
unreal and supernatural. I seemed to be within an 
atmosphere that was not of this world. I thought 
that this was death, and, throwing down my pick, 
would have prostrated myself upon the stone beneath 
me, when, suddenly, even at my feet, I saw, as though 
fresh dropped from unseen hands, the actual thing of 
which the seer liad told me. 

“ It was a cross of malachite, carved and perfect in 
every line and angle, as though by the hand of some 
wise architect. It rested in its native rock, but sepa- 
rated from it, so that I loosened it and held it before 
my eyes and gazed upon it. I would have called the 
seer, but that day his prison scene had been changed. 
Mad with delight, yet somewhat dismayed at my pos- 
session, I did secrete it on my person, till perchance a 
future time should permit me to escape. Whether the 
cross did this I know not : but this I know, within a 
Aveek, a day, an hour, something above my knowledge, 
some power remote did work upon the heart of him 
Avhom I called master, till, seeing my condition so 
distressed, he bade his slaves to take me forth as help- 
less and no longer useful for his purposes. 

“They led me from the mine into the light of day, 
Avhere, blinded, I could scarce discern the Avay in 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


65 


which to walk. Then sight came to me, and I did 
wander on, and reached the road. There, by good 
chance I met a caravan descending to the south, which 
joining, I was helped even to the borders of that north- 
ern land, and thence, by slow removes, regained my 
home : and with me went the cross. 

“ I need not tell how fortune followed me, as the 
seer had prophesied. Wealth, friends and fame came 
to me as the years came ; but over me has hung forever 
since, the legend of the termination of it all. I fear 
the end — I fear the sword, the poison-cup, the flame ; I 
can no longer bear the frightful pangs of doubt 
which do waylay me. 

‘‘ Though, thus, I do sustain the presaged end of him 
who holds the cross, I must, while being the victim, be 
the victor. I will die, but I will be my own execu- 
tioner.’’ 


While the viscount was engrossed in reading the 
ancient manuscript, Pierre employed himself in and 
out of the room iii which his master sat, in his various 
vocations. 

As has been said, the Viscount Honore de Yalmy 
was not in the least degree a superstitious man, but 
even he could not quite avoid, or even dispel on experi- 
encing it, a sensation differing from his ordinary 
state. 

As he perused the strange words of the ancient oil- 
merchant, he remembered that he, too, had fallen a 
victim to the predicted end of all who should possess 
the malachite cross, even although by his own hand. 

There was something blood-curdling in this consul- 


56 


THE MALACHITE GROSS, 


eration ; and, as the viscount laid aside the old time- 
stained parchment pages, and drew from the drawer in 
the table by which he sat the casket which contained 
the malachite cross, he hesitated a moment before 
opening it ; but casting aside his sinister reflections-if 
they may be supposed to have reached that height of 
lucubration — with a hasty movement he opened the 
casket, and dis|dayed before his eyes, in the fluctuating 
light of the Argand lamp on the table, the wondrous 
cross. 

Again its bright effulgence beamed upon him. And 
now there seemed a strange, mysterious presence in 
the room. The air appeared to become heavy and 
misty, and the viscount’s faculties seemed to him to 
grow bewildered, and his mind ill at ease, as though 
presaging something unfortunate. Shaking himself 
together, he called aloud : 

u Pi0j.r0 ! 

The servant, who was then in the next room, 
appeared in response to the cry of his master, saying ; 

“ I am here, monsieur, do you wish anything ?” 

a Pierre,” said the viscount, “ do you notice any- 
thing strange in this room : anything sulphurous or 
otherwise diabolical ? Or was there something in the 
coffee which I had at dinner ? ” and he laughed. 

Pierre looked about in his customary stolid and 
unimpressionable manner, and replied : 

“No, monsieur, I observe nothing : nothing at least, 
which was not here a few minutes since.” 

“ How do I look, Pierre ? ” said the viscount, and he 
rose, stretched himself, and walked across the room. 

“ As usual, monsieur,” answered Pierre. 

“ Do 1 look wild, haggard, ghost-ridden? ” 


THE MALACHITE GROSS, 


57 


Pierre’s face approached as near as possible to a 
smile and he answered : 

“No, Monsieur le Yiscount, I observe nothing of 
that in your appearance.” 

“ Give me a glass of wine,” said the viscount. 

Pierre departed on his errand. The viscount, 
meanwhile, continued walking up and down the 
room. 

“ This is all nonsense,” he muttered to himself. 
“ The vagaries of this crazy old Arab, or whoever 
else concocted this wild story, have overcome me 
foolishly. A glass of wine will set me all right, I 
dare say.” 

Here Pierre re-entered, bearing a tray upon which 
was a bottle of claret and a frail, bell-shaped glass. 

“ Draw the cork, Pierre,” said the viscount. 

It was done. The claret was Margaux, of a comet 
year. As Pierre removed the cork, its fragrance 
ascended into the air and permeated the room with 
the strange and beautiful aroma of the nature-distilled 
grape. 

The viscount took the glass, when Pierre had filled 
it, and held it between his eyes and the light. 

“ It is a rare wine, Pierre,” said he. “ Is it not 
beautiful ? ” 

As he said this, the glass flew into fragments in his 
hand, and the wine Avas poured upon the table. 

Pierre started back, affright visible in his pallid 
countenance. Even he, although already somewhat 
informed by Father Gronevitch of Avhat might be 
anticipated, had not expected this. 

But the viscount Avas a man of nerA^e. Still hold- 
ing his hand extended, as he had held it Avith the 
glass in it, he said : 


58 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ Pierre, we had forgotten that this is a haunted 
house. Inasmuch as I get it nearly rent free, I have no 
reason to complain if the ghostly inhabitants choose 
to make me a visit. In fact, that was in my lease. 
Bring me another glass. 

Pierre said nothing, but left the room, and presently 
returned with another glass — this time a stouter one ; 
a fact which the viscount marked. 

“ If they break this, Pierre,’’ he said, I must get 
one of silver.” 

Pierre filled the glass with wine, and the viscount 
raised it again between his eyes and the light. 

Nothing happened. The spirits, if such they were, 
remained satisfied with their first experiment. The 
viscount drank the wine and even smacked his lips. 

‘‘ It is good,” he said. “ There is a diabolical flavor 
about it which I have never before observed in wine. 
I prefer, however, to experience the effect in that form 
rather than in that of broken glass and a spilled 
beverage. 

He had closed the casket containing the cross as 
he called Pierre. Now, he ordered the servant to 
leave the room, resumed his seat, and reopened the 
casket. 

“I feel better,” he said to himself. ‘‘After all, 
suppose these fantasies of the« ancient Arab to be 
true, what have I to fear? The cross will give 
me gold and power. For these things I have 
the word of Father Gronevitch. Of his power I 
know. With gold and power, I can obtain all 
that I desire ; for in this world there is no need 
which these two agencies cannot compass.” 

But even as he spoke, there occurred that which 


TBE MALACHITE GLOSS. 


59 


flung his weak words back upon his soul with para- 
lyzing effect. For now, instead of the bewilderment 
Avhich before attacked his brain, there came upon him 
a clear-sightedness — a magic vision which seemed to 
penetrate all space, while it yet retained within its 
wondrous limits the narrow confines of the apartment 
in which he was. 

From out the angles of the cross as it lay before 
him on the table, there sprung forth rays of many 
hues, which darted into the atmosphere, and were lost 
in nothingness. 

He raised his head and above him there grew to 
be an impression as of the presence of many beings. 

The Gobelins tapestry, opposite to which he sat, 
parted in the middle and displayed the black dark- 
ness of the adjoining apartment. W ithin that darkness 
there was bestowed a weird procession. Beings im- 
palpable, yet distinctly formed, moved hither and 
thither. Even at his v^ery side there was a rustling as 
of the frou-frou of silken dresses. 

At first the panorama seemed vague and indistinct ; 
but presen tl}^ it took the shape of a ball-room. 
Figures were seen wandering through the airy evolu- 
tions of an old-time dance. Others sat in secluded 
corners, as though engaged in conversation. All 
was, however, unreal, fanciful — and the viscount un- 
impressed by the situation, strange as it was, attributed 
it to a brain disturbed, possibly by the fumes of the 
wine which he had just drunk, although this conceit 
made him laugh aloud, even as it passed rapidly 
through his brain ; for the Yiscount de Yalmy was 
known throughout the length and breadth of Paris 
as a bo7i mmnt of no ordinary capacity and attain- 
ment. 


60 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ Pshaw ! ” he cried, aloud ; ‘‘ am I to be the victim 
of such visions as might arise in the silly brain of a 
sentimental girl ? I am surely not to be duped by 
such foolish whims as these.” 

Taking the cross from its resting place, he held it 
aloft for a moment, and examined it closely for the 
first time. The green of its hue glittered like a 
serpent’s eye. Waves, like white surf, crossed each 
other and intertwined upon its surface. It seemed, 
indeed, as if a single, solitary wavelet had been 
suddenly petrified, even in its flowing, and had taken 
the shape Avith the seafoam upon it. 

The viscount placed it again in its velvet bed. As 
he did so, something touched his shoulder. He turned 
and found Pierre by his side. 

The servant uttered no sound, but pointed to the 
Gobelins tapestry. In that direction the eyes of the 
viscount Avandered, in answer to the gesture. 

The curtains, Avhich had a moment before been open 
at the center, Avere now closed, and there, in a chair in 
front of them, Avhich the viscount did not remember 
to have noticed before — in fact, Avhich he Avas sure 
had not been there before — Avas seated the figure of a 
young man, apparently not more than of age. The 
vision Avas clear and distinct. 

The viscount turned to speak to Pierre, Avho still 
stood Avith his finger pointing to the ghostly figure, 
Avhen the valet burst out : 

“ There, it is gone again ! ’ 

He Yalmy looked and the space Avas unoccupied — 
the chair and the vision had vanished. 

With a great effort the \dscount recovered his 
equanimity, now certainly strongly taxed. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


61 


“ Pierre/’ he said, “ I’ve had enough of this for one 
night. You saw it distinctly, did you not ? ” 

“Yes — yes; monsieur, I certainly saw it — him!” 

“ It is very easy to know you did. One look at 
your face would satisfy the most doubtful. If I look 
as much frightened as you do, I am very glad I do not 
feel as I look. Pierre, what time is it ? ” 

“ It is eleven o’clock, M. le Viscount.” 

“ Not later ? I have been taught from childhood 
that ghosts only walk after midnight. How our 
parents and friends deceive our infant minds ! Pierre, 
I will go to bed.” 

“ In the blue chamber, M. le Viscount ? ” 

“Yes; certainly, Pierre. Why not?” 

“ Nothing ; but I thought perhaps M. le Viscount 
would prefer some other room — say on the next 
floor.” 

“ Which means that you are averse to passing the 
night on this floor.” 

“ I am not afraid,” answered Pierre. 

“Very well; then I will sleep in the blue chamber, 
and you in the one immediately next to it.” 

Pierre took the Argand lamp from the table, and 
preceded his master out of the library. 


CHAPTER VII. 

A DINNER AT GABRIEL VARDIe’s. 

Along the east shore of the East river, at the time 
of which we write, there were scattered, at intervals, 
isolated dwellings, belonging for the most part, to 
merchants and professional men of wealth in the city 
of New York, 


62 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Many of these dwellings were highly ornamented 
in the Italian villa or Swiss cottage style, surrounded 
by shade trees, and otherwise garlanded with parterres 
of flowers in luxuriance. 

Among these, the residence of Gabriel Yardie, silk 
merchant and shipping merchant as well, was by no 
means the least pretentious. 

The plump little Frenchman who had come to this 
country some years prior to the time of which we are 
writing — had married — his second venture of that 
kind — an American lady of good family. As time 
wore on, his business had grown apace with the ex- 
travagance of the age, until he became, as they termed 
it in those days, “a man of means.” Of luxuriant 
tastes, and having accumulated the wealth which en- 
abled him to lavish large expenditures in the cultiva- 
tion of these tastes ; and having, moreover, somewhat 
of a desire to shine socially here, as his father had 
shone before him, in Paris, Gabriel Yardie delighted 
in enshrining the brilliant creature whom he had ob- 
tained to wife, in a fitting and sufficiently embellished 
framework. Having erected his dwelling, he fur- 
nished it after the latest patterns of the French mode ; 
for though American by his business relations and 
social ties, Gabriel Yardie was still a Frenchman in 
his personal proclivities. 

Ormolu, and Sevres china of rare pattern; ebony 
and ivory ; wainscoting of rare woods, fresco — these 
constituted somewhat the interior ornamentation of 
his charming villa, while its exterior was decorated by 
all the adornments of picturesque gardening, that could 
render the approach to it attractive to the artistic eye. 

To this dwelling he had invited the Yiscount de 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


63 


Yalmy to dine with him, en faiiiille^ the Sunday 
following the incidents which we have chronicled as 
having occurred in the old house in Fourth street. 
Hither, accordingly, at the appointed day and hour, 
and apparently none the worse for the influence which 
had permeated the atmosphere of his new home, and 
even attacked the fortress of his own mental equilib- 
rium, the Viscount de Yalmy proceeded in the hand- 
some carriage which had been sent for him, according 
to appointment, by M. Yardie. 

The house stood at the summit of a lofty bank, over- 
looking the river. A grassy slope extended in terraces 
down to the water’s edge, from which it was separated 
by a rather high construction of masonry. There 
were M. Yardie’s bathing-house and boats. 

Proceeding at a rapid pace behind the silk mer- 
chant’s pair of fast horses, the viscount duly entered 
the drive which led from the main road in a semi- 
circular direction through the grounds of M. Yardie, 
and up to the piazza of the dwelling. 

The noise of the approaching vehicle had called the 
household to the door to welcome the expected guest, 
and the viscount found himself greeted, as he descended 
from the carriage, with every possible expression of 
gratification at his appearance. This being his first 
experience of hospitality in America, although extended 
by his own countryman, he was naturally gratified. 
Gabriel Yardie received him with empressement. 
Seizing him by both hands, he drew him rapidly up 
the steps and on the piazza, where he introduced him 
at once to his wife and son. 

If the viscount was charmed by the reception ex- 
tended to him by his host, he was impressed by that 
of his hostess. 


64 


THE MALACHITE GROSS, 


Madam Yardie was much younger than her hus- 
band, and possibly the term which we have already 
used in the description of her should be considered the 
most applicable in the language — at least in a certain 
sense. She was “ brilliant,” not with the brilliancy of 
the diamond, however, to use a not inappropriate sym- 
bolism — but rather with that of the opal, concerning 
the occasion of whose fluctuating hues — now violet, 
and now silver, we know but little, and the ancients 
knew much. 

Kather above the medium height, Madam Yardie 
was slender and graceful, yet with a sufficiency of 
roundness in her form to give shade and harmony to 
the outline. Her face was almost classic in its purity, 
but with sufficient fullness of the lips and depth of 
expression to the eyes to show plainly to a close 
observer that she was formed in human mold. Her 
head was crowned with a luxuriant mass of hair, 
coroneted and falling in waves about her forehead. 
Of a rich, deep shade of brown in color, it matched 
her eyes, which were brown also, with a soft violet 
tinge. Her face was ordinarily pale; not with the 
pallor of wax, but rather with that of marble — save 
when some passing thought gave impulse from the 
brain to the heart, and sent a vivid flush of life-blood 
surging under the soft damask skin. 

Some such thought, and that a weird and strange 
one, too, must have crossed her brain at the moment 
when she first saw Honore de Yalmy face to face. 

Its effect upon her was momentary, but it was 
marked ; and it was this effect which caused us to say, 
a little while since, that the viscount was impressed 
with her reception of him. 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


65 


As she moved gracefully forward to receive and 
welcome her husband’s guest, she paused suddenly 
with her right hand extended, while her face turned 
scarlet, as the blood rushed into it. It was but for 
an instant. The hesitation with which she greeted 
him was not even marked by her husband, who stood 
beside her. But it was marked by De Yalmy. This 
was only a necessity to the man who let nothing escape 
him, however trivial, in his relation with humanity, 
and who, beside this, wore pendant on a frail gold 
chain of eastern workmanship, close to his heart, the 
Malachite Cross. It was at this instant that Honore 
de Yalmy knew how vast — how unlimited, in fact — 
was the influence wielded by the cross. He knew now 
what he had before only half-confessed to himself — 
that the dreams of the toiling Persian in the mines of 
the Ural, and the predictions of the Indian seer, alike, 
but half -compassed the wondrous truth. He knew 
that in his grasp he held a charm more potent than 
the amulet of King Solomon, the magic wand of 
Cagliostro, or the supernatural gift of Antoine Mesmer 
— greater than any of those, because that it combined 
the powers of all ! 

Deep into the heart of this cold, pure woman De 
Yalmy could see with a gaze which at once revealed 
her most hidden thoughts and hopes, and her most 
mysterious experiences. Even as he stood confronting 
her, and within the half -moment of time that elapsed 
while the simple acts of introduction from the husband 
to the wife were being performed, there seemed to 
come between his face and hers a something so 
impalpable that no words can describe it ! 

It was not a veil, though that might be of gossamer. 


66 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


It was not even an atmosphere denser than that which 
both were breathing. It seemed an essence, as of all 
the hidden secrets of the stars and the flowers, and 
the stones — brought together as a new spiritual ground 
on which these two could walk in unison, and converse 
and know each other by language hidden from the 
other senses. It actually seemed to him that rays of 
light darted from her eyes. These rays were not, 
however, bright and piercing like the sun-rays, but had 
a violet hue which softened them and made them 
easily perceptible to his mental vision, while not pain- 
ful to his physical sight. 

De Yalmy was, as may readily be supposed, well 
versed in occult knowledge so far as books and the 
experience of men could teach him. He knew of the 
experiments which even then were being tried by 
German philosophers — experiments with the crystal 
and the magnet — and he had heard of this phenome- 
non, of which he was now for the first time in his 
life a witness. These violet-hued emanations were 
frequent incidents in such experiments. In fact, this, 
while it was a spiritual occurrence in its influence, was 
a purely physical one in its manifestations. That he 
attributed it to the power of the cross was not remark- 
able. He was quite ready to believe anything of that 
extraordinary agent. Had he thought deeper, he 
would have discovered that some little of the effect 
produced w as due to the sympathy of the woman and 
the powerful magnetic capacity of the man. 

The introductions over, the Yiscount de Yalmy was 
ushered into the drawing-room, where he was speedily 
made at home. The slight change of manner which 
had momentarily overcome Madani Yardie disap- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


67 


peared as suddenly as it had arisen, leaving no trace of 
perturbation behind it. She was now, in every par- 
ticular, the graceful and hospitable hostess, doing her 
best, in the capacity of an accomplished woman of the 
world, to induce pleasurable impressions in the mind of 
an honored guest. 

The son of Gabriel Yardie, a young man of about 
twenty-two years of age, the offspring of that former 
marriage to which we have already alluded, was 
French b}^ birth, like his father, but French of a quality 
which, through having had engrafted upon it that 
special kind of young Americanism which was indi- 
genous to New York, at this period, made itself 
chiefly prominent by peculiarities due neither to the one 
nation nor to the other. He was, in fact, a character 
not frequently met Avith either in books or in society. 

Aping the follies of the degenerate youth of his spe- 
cies, he none the less imitated the errors of his elders, 
thus achieving a combination of attributes disagreeable 
in every particular, and at the same time, rendered 
more offensive by the emphasis with which these were 
manifested Avhenever opportunity offered. Claude 
Yardie Avas the idol of his father and the detestation 
of his charming stepmother. Introduced to the vis- 
count, he strove to place himself on an equality Avith 
that young aristocrat, and this in a manner that Avas so 
displeasing to the sensitive nature of De Yalmy that it 
Avas Avith difficulty he could resist the desire to place 
the young gentleman, at once, on the level for Avhich 
nature had intended him. But the circumstances 
surrounding his present attitude to the family pre- 
cluded any such action on his part. Conversation 
circulated until dinner was announced, Avhen De Yalmy 


68 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


gave his arm to Madam Yardie, and all were pres- 
ently seated at the table. 

Here the conversation, which had hitherto become 
general, became more personal, as the acquaintance 
grew into intimacy under the fostering influence of rare 
wines and a delicious cuisine : on both of which con- 
comitants to a well-regulated table Gabriel Yardie 
prided himself, as well he might, since his cellar and 
his cook were alike the product of la belle France. 

“Well, viscount, how do you like your new housed’ 
inquired M. Yardie. 

“ I am charmed with it, monsieur,” responded De 
Yalmy. 

“Indeed,” observed Madam Yardie, with a some- 
what surprised side-glance at her husband. “ From the 
reputation which it bears, I had rather imagined you 
would find it disagreeable.” 

“Oh, perfectly detestable, I should think,” chimed 
in young Claude. 

“ Quite on the contrary, I assure you, madam,” said 
He Yalmy, ignoring the observation of the young man. 
“ AVhatever its reputation may be, I find nothing con- 
nected with it that is not entirely agreeable to my 
nature, and my peculiarities ; of which latter, by the 
way, I possess not a few.” 

“ Then you have not experienced,” continued 
Madam Yardie,” any of those unpleasant interrup- 
tions which have apparently condemned that house 
to perpetual emptiness ? ” 

“ Nothing of the sort,” he replied, leisurely biting 
an orange. “ The house, its furniture, its location, 
and in fact, everything connected with it suit me, 
precisely, and I owe a debt of gratitude to your kind 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


69 


and thoughtful husband for having made me its 
occupant.” 

“ A debt, my dear sir,” said Gabriel Yardie, “ which 
you will please consider canceled on the spot. That 
house has been a perfect incubus to me for years. 
No sooner did I fini some one brave enough to take 
possession of the dismal mansion and begin to flatter 
myself that I had at last got a tenant, enjpermanence., 
than whiz ? off he goes, and my house is empty on my 
hands again. I assure you my dear viscount, it has 
been an utter nuisance to me. In fact, I have been 
as badly situated as if 1 had been myself haunted by 
the goblins, ghosts and demons which public notoriety 
has ascribed as nightly visitors to this absurd 
mansion.” 

“Well sir,” said De Yalmy, laughing, “be mine 
the pleasant duty to eradicate from the public mind 
this, vulgar error ; and the better to accomplish this, 
I propose to give what is in this country, as I am told, 
customarily termed a house-warming.” 

“Oh, delightful!” said Madam Yardie, clapping 
her hands. 

“ Precisely ; delightful, by all means ! But the 
trouble which encompasses me now, and which I 
assure you, my dear madam, troubles me much more 
than ghostly visitors, is how I am to obtain human 
guests. The one, had I magic powers, might come at 
my bidding ; the other, if I would have them, must 
be gathered together at the solicitation of some kind 
friend.” 

“ Don’t disturb yourself in the least about that, my 
dear De Yalmy,” said Yardie. “ It would be doing 
me a favor to permit me to be your major-domo on 


70 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


this occasion. I assure you that at the first knowledge 
of the fact that the haunted house in Fourth street is 
to be opened to society, for a social gathering — all 
New York, above Bleecker, will rally to your doors, 
eager to satisfy their curiosity as to the truth of the 
reputed character of the* establishment, on the one 
hand ; and on the other, equally desirous of forming 
the acquaintance of a gentleman who is, I assure you, 
already much talked about in our little world.’’ 

“You flatter me, monsieur,” said the viscount, 
“ by so kindl}^ offering to take upon yourself what I 
should certainly esteem an arduous duty. But since 
you consent to act between those whom I desire to 
see my guests, and myself, I cannot but accept the 
proffered courtesy.” 

“ A capital idea ! ” cried Claude ; “ I will invite all 
my friends ! ” 

The viscount looked at him for a moment as though 
wondering what sort of creatures an extraordinarily 
benevolent nature might have bestowed as friends to 
such an animal. 

“ Do, I beg of you,” he said ; “ I shall be delighted 
to receive an}^ friends of the son of my kind host.” 

“ And when is this festivity to happen,” said Madam 
Yardie. 

“ That I leave at your disposal. The house is there 
waiting anxiously, I dare say — and certainly if any 
house could experience the sensation, a haunted house 
ought to — waiting for a warming — that very delight- 
ful American word which so exactly suits the present 
case. I do assure you, madam, that although, as I 
say, my house presents no difficulties of a supernatual 
character, yet it has, I admit, that coldness of appear- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


71 


ance — as well within as without — which needs an 
infusion of vitality, only, I conceive, to be afforded by 
music and the dance, sweet-scented flowers, gay 
spirits, and conversation — in fact, the entire ememUe 
of a merry-making.’’ 

“ Well,” observed Yardie, after a moment’s reflec- 
tion, and looking at his wife, whom he indeed consulted 
on all occasions, “ this is Sunday ; let us say the 
Wednesday following the next one. Will that be 
practicable, my dear ? ” 

“ I should say so,” she replied. ‘‘ Surely ten days 
ought to be time enough to enable our friends to place 
themselves in a position to do justice to the viscount’s 
kind invitation.” 

“ Yery well, then,” said De Yalmy, “ we will say the 
Wednesday following the next one. I may depend on 
you for the guests, and you may depend upon me for 
everything else. My valet, Pierre, has already made 
himself acquainted, I believe, with every Frenchman 
in town ; and it will go hard if out of their number he 
cannot secure cooks and waiters, and the other human 
adjuncts of a feast. I shall give him carte hlanche for 
ever3^thing, only looking to you, my dear sir, for 
instructions as to my wines ; as unfortunately, my 
lease does not include that very necessary article ; and 
I have, thus far, only stored awa}" a few bottles I 
bought for my own consumption.” 

“It is then settled,” said Yardie. “Invitations 
shall be sent forth to-morrow, to the elite of our ^lew 
York society ; and I can assure you, my dear De 
Yalmy, however much you Parisians may be inclined 
to scoff at the term, in its definition on this side of the 
water, you shall not be ashamed of your gathering. 
We will bring you wealth, beauty and intelligence.” 


72 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ The man who would ask more,” interrupted De 
Yalmy, would be unworthy of so generous a 
provider.” 

All now rose from the table and proceeded to a 
broad piazza at the rear of the house ; where, sitting 
in comfortable chairs, and smoking fragrant cigars, 
Gabriel Yardie and the viscount looked out upon the 
water which rippled under the last rays of the setting 
sun, and chatted of France and of New York. 

Meanwhile, Claude had departed in pursuance of his 
own objects — whatever these might have been — and 
Madam Yardie, after directing her household affairs, 
joined her husband and his guest, and entered 
pleasantly and cordially into their conversation. 

The more he saw of the graceful and elegant 
woman the more he was pleased with her esprit^ her 
originality, and the bright spirit of youthfulness which 
pervaded her entire appearance. Informed beyond 
the intellectual height of most women, she could con- 
verse fluently and sensibly upon all the occurrences of 
the day in politics, diplomacy and social life. Not 
less was she at home in literature. Her reading had 
been broad and varied. Her intelligence seemed to 
grasp thoughts hardly manifest to the ordinary reader, 
as expressed in the works she perused. These she not 
only appreciated, but criticised with all a woman’s 
instinct and acumen, and all a man’s purely logical 
grasp of understanding. 

De Yalmy was persuaded that he had never before 
met with a woman possessing such completeness and 
variety of attributes, and these of a character most 
likely to be pleasing to a well-informed and thought- 
ful man of the world. An hour or two passed in her 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


73 


society, he assured himself, would do much to efface 
from his memory the recollection of all the women he 
had ever known before her. He scented, indeed, 
danger in the air. Indebted to Gabriel Yardie for 
courtesies not absolutely demanded by their relative 
positions, he could not at once reconcile himself to 
such a sentiment for the wife of his host, as he felt 
was gradually stealing over him. The better to break 
the charm, he rose, after perhaps half an hour passed 
so agreeably that it seemed to him but a moment of 
time, and announced his intention of returning to the 
city. 

Kemonstrated with, and urged to delay his depart- 
ure and to pass the evening at his friend’s mansion, 
he resisted all efforts in that direction, and his host 
was reluctantly obliged to order the carriage to take 
him to Hew York. After many friendly adieux and 
assurances of the gratification which he had expe- 
rienced during his visit, De Yalmy accordingly entered 
the carriage and was driven rapidly homeward. 


CHAPTEK YIII. 

WHAT HAPPENED TO MARGUERITE. 

Eetrograding a little in the course of our story, we 
must now ask our reader’s attention while we return 
for a short period to Paris and the Kue Lenoir. 

It was the morning after that on which the Yiscount 
de Yalmy had paid his final visit to his aunt. 

The servants in the employ of Madam Carteret 
were all accustomed to rise early ; for although the 
old lady was kind and liberal to them, as she was to 
every one, still she was a strict disciplinarian, as we 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


‘?4 

have seen, even in the case of her pensioners — at one 
reception of which we have assisted. 

Accordingly, on the morning in question, Marguer- 
ite who, besides being her mistress’ femme de cham- 
hre^ was practically the housekeeper as well, was, with 
all the other servants, awake and about the house 
shortly after sunrise. Her attention, however, not 
being required in her mistress’ room until nine o’clock, 
she passed the time preceding that hour in attending 
to her customary duties. At nine o’clock, she listened 
for Madam Carteret’s bell, and, for the first .time in 
her recollection, its sound failed to greet her ear. 

She waited five minutes — ten minutes — a quarter 
of an hour. 

Then she felt alarmed, and hastening to the door of 
the chamber, rapped loudly. 

There was no response. 

She rapped again ; and, finally, becoming nervous 
at her ill-success in attracting her mistress’ attention, 
she ventured to turn the handle of the door, and en- 
tered. 

A cry that rang through the house, and even awoke 
the morning echoes of the quiet Kue Lenoir, issued 
from the frightened girl’s pallid lips as she saw before 
her the horrid sight from which Honore de Valmy 
had fled on the preceding night. 

The candles had burned out, the fire in the grate 
was represented by a gray and black mass of dead 
coals and ashes, and all about the room was gloomy 
and dispiriting. 

But little of this did Marguerite observe. After 
that first fierce burst of fear and anguish, she sprang 
forward to where her beloved mistress lay prone upon 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


75 


the floor. Lifting the aged head, lying white-faced 
shrouded in its mass of gray hair, into her lap, she 
turned upward the pallid countenance and gazed 
upon it. 

One glance was enough ; and, as the servants, called 
quickly from every part of the house by that wild 
shriek, entered the room, Marguerite moaned aloud : 

“ Oh, she is dead ! She is dead, and I have killed 
her ! ” 

Of course there was wailing, mourning and general 
anarchy in the service from that moment. 

Some flew in one direction to send for the old lady’s 
family physician; others darted into the street in 
search of a sergeant de ville ; but everything in the 
fatal room was left precisely as it was found until it 
should be inspected by the proper officer of justice. 

The physician came and went. Human aid could 
avail nothing to extend the life of the good Madam 
Carteret ; but what might yet be done was to revenge 
her wretched taking off. 

Marguerite still sat on the floor where she had pros- 
trated herself — still sat with her mistress’ head in her 
lap, speaking no word, but rocking continually back- 
ward and forward, moaning bitterly. 

To her came, presently, the sergeant de ville, and 
proceeded to set in motion the procession of the law. 

He was a brisk, keen, earnest man in the pursuit of 
his profession. Looking forward to promotion as the 
single goal, in the reaching which existed for him all 
future happiness, the sergeant thought only of his 
mission. 

On his way from the street to the room in which lay 
the body of the murdered lady, being met by several 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


% 

of the domestics, he was speedily made acquainted 
with all the circumstances of the case, and particularly 
with the w^ords uttered by Marguerite in her first 
agony — She is dead, and I have killed her ! ’’ 

Having thus fresh in his mind this certainly peculiar 
observation, it was perhaps not altogether strange that 
the sergeant’s first action should have been precisely 
what it was. 

Stepping to the side of Marguerite, he caught her 
roughly by the arm, saying : 

“ Come, girl ; get up ! We have had enough of this. 
Mademoiselle had better spend her time thinking of 
her own situation, rather than in attitudinizing over the 
corpse of madam.” 

Marguerite, lifted to her feet by the sudden action 
of the officer, looked in his face with surprise, while 
she passed her hand over her forehead in a bewildered 
sort of way, and seemed to be considering what he 
might mean. 

‘‘ Sir,” she said, her voice broken by sobs, “ I don’t 
understand you. May I not sit here with my poor, 
dear mistress ? ” 

“ Certainly not ! ” responded the officer, roughly. 
“Other disposition will be made of you, and that 
shortly.” 

At this moment, two subordinate officers of the force 
entered the room, having been sent thither from the 
bureau, where already information had been lodged 
concerning the crime in the Hue Lenoir. 

To these the sergeant addressed himself, saying : 

“Take this girl to the bureau. I arrest her for 
complicity in this crime.” 

Some one said, here : 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


77 


‘‘ But perhaps there has been no murder. Because 
you find an old woman dead, is no sign that she was 
murdered.” 

The sergeant looked at the speaker with the ut- 
most expression of contempt in his countenance, as 
being one so far-seeing in the line of his business as to 
be totally above and beyond all need of ordinary 
evidence in cases of this kind. 

Vouchsafing, however, an answer to the remark of 
the person who had just spoken — he being a gentle- 
man, he said : “ She has confessed her crime.” 

Those who had not heard Marguerite’s fatal words 
shrank back in horror. Could it be possible that this 
amiable-looking young girl could be a murderess ? 

Meanwhile Marguerite began to appreciate the full 
danger and horror of her situation. 

“ Surely, sir,” she said to the sergeant, “you can- 
not mean to arrest me ! You cannot conceive 
that I have done this ! I, to whom she was 
the kindest and dearest mistress that ever poor 
girl had ! Why sir, I loved her so, I would readily 
have perished in lier stead. Don’t arrest me, sir, on 
a few careless words. I meant nothing. I only 
thought that possibly some lack of attention on my 
part might have hastened her death. She cannot 
have been murdered, sir ; I left her well and smiling at 
ten o’clock last night, when I gave her the powder.” 

At the Avord “powder” the sergeant started, 
moved for the moment out of the customary calmness 
of his deportment. 

Why, at this rate the girl would admit anything. 
She was literally throwing her life away ! What a 
pity it was that women should ever meddle with 
crime. 


78 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


So thinking, and not caring that the general public 
should hear her further confessions the sergeant made 
a quick sign to his subordinates, who, stepping for- 
ward, took Marguerite by the arms, and despite her 
pleading and her cries, led her from the apartment. 

She was taken from the house, placed in a carriage 
which had been already provided, and was rapidly 
driven to the Conciergerie where she was speedily in- 
carcerated in a cell, there to await the f voces mrhal 
which must follow the inquest upon the body of the 
deceased. 

The news that Madam Carteret had been found 
murdered in her room, speedily circulated through the 
entire city, and especially in the Faubourg St. Germain 
where her aristocratic friends of the old regime 
mostly resided. 

Thus there came during all that day many carriages 
conveying messengers to inquire into the facts of the 
case, curiosity - seekers desirous of becoming eyewit- 
nesses of what would still exist of the scene. 

The legal adviser of the late unfortunate lady was 
speedily on the spot, and dispatched messengers at 
once to inform her relatives, wherever these could be 
found, and chiefly her sister, the Countess de Yalmy, 
and her husband. 

Meanwhile, groups of citizens of both sexes hung 
about the door of the house in the Eue Lenoir, eager 
for such slight scraps of information as could be picked 
up from those who had gained permission to enter the 
premises, from ingoing and outcoming servants, and 
even from the ministers of the law themselves when 
these reticent individuals could be prevailed upon to 
speak. And by all these means the facts and the 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


70 


confession of the occurrence, with various modifica- 
tions, as is customary in such cases, became known 
everywhere. 

Madam Carteret had been set upon by her domes- 
tics, and beaten to death with axes, hatchets, hammers 
and other domestic implements. 

Her charities being generally known, it speedily 
became bruited abroad in certain directions, that she 
had been stabbed to the heart by one of her numerous 
pensioners. 

Then a rumor obtained considerable credence, to 
the ejffect that she had committed suicide, and had 
been found hanging to her bedpost from the bell-rope. 

At last, however, and toward evening, a version 
obtained general publicity to the effect that hQYfe7nme 
de chambre — who was imagined by some to be also 
bound to her by a tie of a consanguineous character — 
had opened the door of her chamber in the middle of 
the night, and shot her through the head with a pistol 
as the good lady lay on her bed reading her prayers. 

It was not until the journals of the following day 
were issued that the Paris public became fully advised 
of the facts, and even then so little was known of the 
case that the popular curiosity was only half 
satisfied. 

Day after day passed, and Marguerite, alone in her 
ceU, pondered the circumstances which had brought 
her to this condition. At first, she gave herself up to 
mourning the loss she had sustained. Then she began 
to contemplate her own unfortunate condition in its 
relation with the strange sequence of events which 
had resulted in so tragic a conclusion. 

Marguerite possessed reason and judgment far 


80 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


beyond her station in life. It was not without 
meaning that she had uttered the words whose effect 
had been to place her in her present position— not 
without meaning, though without intention. 

With a flash of intuition as she entered the room, 
she had known that Madam Carteret was not only 
dead, but murdered. 

This was but a sequence to another intuitive per- 
ception which had come to her on the night before 
at ten o’clock, when the blue paper containing the 
powder had been precipitated from her hands upon 
the staircase, and had been afterward given to her 
by the Yiscount de Yalmy. 

Her instincts had then served her, but without 
her accepting the service. 

As the lightning at night manifests to the observer 
the face of all of nature that is within his line of vision, 
though it be but for an instant of time, with perfect 
clearness and fidelity even to the minutest detail, so 
had this sudden flash of inspiration informed Mar- 
guerite’s mind that some sinister occurrence hung 
over her mistress to endanger her. And it was with 
reference to that precedent intuition of the night 
before when the suspicion had flashed upon her — 
occasioned, perhaps, by many things in the viscount’s 
manner, but chiefly by the incident of the powder 
dropped upon the stairs — that she uttered the words 
which had destroyed her. For, again like a flash of 
lightning, had come to her mind as she opened the door 
of her mistress’ apartment, and saw her body lying 
on the floor, the thought that had she but listened to 
the warning voice on that occasion, she would not have 
given her mistress that powder. 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


81 


Marguerite knew now— although she had not thought 
of it, nor of anything else when she accused herself of 
Madam Carteret’s murder — that her life was at least 
endangered by her hasty speech. 

She would have known too, had she seen fit to re- 
flect upon that portion of the subject, that to accuse 
the Viscount de Yalmy of this hideous crime, would 
be at once a futile and a retro-active movement. It 
would not endanger him, while it would ruin her. 

But, as we have already hinted. Marguerite thought 
nothing about this ; and she thought not of it simply 
because she loved Honore de Yalmy. 

The recent visits made to his aunt’s house by the 
young, handsome and manly viscount had not been 
his first in the past few years by any means ; and in 
these other visits Marguerite had met him frequently, 
and had learned first to admire, then to remember, 
and finally to positively adore him after the manner 
of the French serving- women of the period— but with 
this difference, possibly — that her love was also faithful ; 
faithful even unto death. 

Therefore was it that, though sent to prison and 
threatened with death itself, she would die and make 
no sign rather than risk the liberty, not to speak of 
the life of him whom she adored. 

So distinctly and decidedly was this the case, that 
during the continuance of the proces verbal, she per- 
sistently refused to make any explanation whatever 
as to her real meaning in uttering the words which 
meant so much to her accusers. 

She rested her case on the simple assurance that 
she was not guilty of the murder of Madam Carteret. 
This statement, and that of having, as was her nightly 


82 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


cnstom, given to madam her powder, taken from the 
box wherein were left other powders, which being 
submitted to chemical analysis, were proved to be 
simply sedative in their character and utterly harm- 
less, was all the information which was obtained from 
Marguerite concerning the murder. 

The post mortem examination of the deceased re- 
vealed the fact that death had resulted from the 
administration of a virulent vegetable poison, so little 
known to the medical faculty that it was long before 
its constituents were discovered ; and when its nature 
was fully known, it was impossible to divine where the 
girl could have obtained it, as no such agent was to be 
found in the possession of any druggist in Paris. 

Sufficient, however, in the way of evidence was dis- 
covered in the opinion of her judges, to render it nec- 
essary and appropriate to hold Marguerite for trial for 
the crime of which she was accused. 


CHAPTEK IX. 

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. 

That the poor girPs days and nights in prison were 
lonely enough may readily be believed. 

She was permitted to see no visitors, and, indeed, 
none desired to see her — except, that weeks after her 
incarceration there came one day, from some little 
inland village, an old man — a farmer. 

Word had gone to the maire of the little village in 
question concerning the great murder case which was 
absorbing the attention of all Paris. When the name 
of Marguerite Kemy was made known in connection 
with it, all the village knew that this was the child of 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


83 


the good farmer Eemy, and a girl of whom no ill ha*d 
ever before been spoken. 

Those were days of slow travel from the interior of 
France, and particularly for such as Eemy, Avho had 
only his aged limbs and the kindness of occasional 
wayfarers in vehicles to depend upon during his weari- 
some journey to Paris. But none the less did^ he 
enter upon it determinedly, and continue persistently, 
and despite his ^^ears and infirmities — strong in his 
love and faith in his only child — he reached the great 
city, and even the gates of the Conciergerie — but only 
to the gates ! 

The fiat had gone forth, and Marguerite’s father was 
denied access to his child in her perilous situation. 

It is said the old man hung about the place for very 
long. 

It is said that when his efforts proved fruitless he 
attempted to set forth in his toilsome way homeward 
again. 

The local news published in the journals of one day 
about that time set forth the finding of the body of 
an old man such as he floating with his face upward 
in the waters of the Seine. At all events, he passes 
out of this story here and now. 

We said that Marguerite received no visitors, but 
there was one — against whom, indeed, it is doubtful 
if any door or gate in Paris could have been barred. 
Certain it is that on one afternoon, immediately prior 
to Marguerite’s trial, the door of her cell was opened 
by the jailer in charge, a gruff voice announced a 
visitor, and he whom we have twice met in the course 
of this story, and known as Father Gronevitch, entered 
and stood before her. 


84 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


Marguerite rose from the rude couch on which she 
was half reclining, and standing erect, thrust from 
before her eyes the tangled mass of hair which shaded 
them, while she peered through the gloom of the cell 
at the venerable figure before her. There was no 
recognition in her look — she had never seen him 
before. 

“ Have you not made a mistake, sir ? ” she said 
simply. 

“ No, girl,” responded the old man, “ I have made no 
mistake. I am here to see her whom people call the 
murderess of the Kue Lenoir.” 

‘‘ I have no friends,” she said, “ and I have been 
told by my jailer that no one should see me. What 
interest have you in me ? And by what influence have 
you entered here 1 ” 

“People call you a murderess,” he went on, “ but I, 
to whom it is given to know much of which others are 
ignorant know that you are not one.” 

Marguerite started. Who could be this strange old 
man ? And why should he seek her out ? 

“ You do me only justice, sir,” she responded, “lam 
innocent! ” 

“ You are innocent, yes. But have you no suspicion 
as to the guilty one ? ” 

With all the self-control which she had learned 
through her imprisonment and under her examination. 
Marguerite could not prevent the color from flooding 
her face at this question, but she answered : “ I have no 
suspicion.” 

“ May I sit down ? ” said the old man. 

Ills manner was respectful and cordial. This Mar- 
guerite could not but recognize. Motioning with her 


riTK MA LA CHITE CROSS. 85 

hand to the only seat in the cell — a rude stool — she 
said : 

Pardon me, sir ; be seated.” 

“ You do not know me,” pursued Father Grone- 
vitch, “ and you cannot account for my visit and the 
interest in you which it would seem to signify. I do 
not come here from curiosity. Far be it from me to 
add one pang to the tortures which must afflict one 
situated as you are. As for the influence which has 
procured my admission, we need not dwell on that. 
Sufficient be it that I am here. I know you to be 
innocent. Imagine me then, if you please — one who, 
from motives of benevolence, would seek to save the 
innocent and punish the guilty.” 

Marguerite shuddered. Kecovering herself, she 
said: 

“ You say you know I am innocent ; you must mean, 
you believe me so.” 

“ What I said, I mean. I know you are innocent 
because I know also the one who is guilty of the crime 
with which you are charged ! ” 

A slight shriek burst from Marguerite’s lips as she 
heard these words, and clasping her hands together, 
she looked earnestly into the face of Father Grone- 
vitch. 

“ Child,” he continued, without noticing her 
emotion, ‘‘do you fully understand the position in 
which you are placed ? Are you aware that for 3^ou 
there is no hope? That your case is prejudged? 
That your sentence is written in the unopened book of 
the future? That the knife is sharpened for which 
your neck is waiting ? ” 

She drew herself together as if she were cold, and 
trembled, but she said nothing. 


86 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


^‘The will of Madam Carteret has been opened,” 
said the necromancer. “ That will bequeaths to you 
a home, duties in life, a sufficiency of this world’s 
goods and prospective happiness. Are you Avilling to 
give all these up ? ” 

A low moan burst from the tortured girl, and she 
buried her face in her hands. 

‘‘ My poor, dear mistress,” was all she said. 

Father Gronevitch continued in the same low, 
monotonous voice in which he had hitherto spoken. 
“ You are young. This world is very beautiful. Life 
means to you many of its best delights, its richest 
gifts. Death is — what? Disgrace in the present, 
calumny in the future — the sudden cutting off of all 
your hopes here and a plunge into the annihilation of 
the hereafter. You are young; you are beautiful; 
you would have lovers, if you have them not already ; 
in time you would marry. Sheltered as you are, and 
protected by the beneficence of the dead lady who 
loved and trusted you, most of the perils of life would 
pass you by. Children would grow up about you and 
play in the light of your smile. Are you prepared to 
cast aside all that fortune has in store for you?” 

Marguerite sprang to her feet. Crossing the cell 
with hasty steps, she placed her hands upon the old 
man’s shoulders as he sat. 

“ Who are you ? ” she cried. “ Why do you come 
here to torture me ? What do you know ? As for me, 
I am innocent, yet I must suffer as though I were 
guilty. If I choose thus to suffer, what is it to you ? 
I do not know you. Tell me what hidden meaning 
lies beneath your words, and leave me in my wretched- 
ness.” 


THE MALAVBITE CROSS. 


87 


Slowly Father Gronevitch arose from his seat, re- 
moving Marguerite’s hands from his shoulders as he 
did so, and holding them clasped tightly in his own 
before him. 

“ I come here not to torture you,” he said, “ but to 
save you. For you to die at the hands of the law 
upon this charge will be self-murder, and that, if what 
your priests teach be true, is a crime before God, of 
equal enormity with that which a cruel fate has 
fastened upon you. Cut off then from repentance here 
by your own act, you imperil your eternal salvation in 
the life before you ; and all this for what ? To save 
from merited punishment and disaster one who is 
false to you, for whose sin you wrongly suffer, and 
whom your confession could not harm. If you imagine 
that I am only practicing upon your feelings, with the 
design of wresting from you words to injure your 
cause before your judges, hear me : Madam Carteret 
was murdered by her nephew, the Viscount Honore 
de Yalmy.” . 

On hearing these words. Marguerite’s feelings found 
vent in a wild shriek which rang through the cell, and, 
sinking through the old man’s hands, she fell prostrate 
on the floor before him. 

“ Whoever you are,” she said, “ or whatever evidence 
you have against him, do not — oh ! do not, I pray you, 
betray your awful knowledge ! Better that I die, than 
that he, her blood relation, the pride and hope of this 
old family, should wring Avith anguish the innumerable 
hearts which Avould mourn such a discovery.” 

, The old man lifted her gently from the floor, and 
assisted her to her couch. “ Listen to me,” he said ; 
“ your Avord alone against his character and position 


88 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


would avail nothing ; with the aid which I can afford 
you it shall set you free and punish him. And what 
do you sacaifice ? You love him.” 

Marguerite bowed her head in shame and wept. 

“ But to him you are the merest toy — a caprice 
which he has long ere this forgotten. What is this 
affection that you should throw away your life for 
it ? ” 

“ But it is not that,” she cried, standing erect and 
looking him sternly in the face. It is not that, 
though for that alone I would save him ; but it is that 
in doing as you would have me to do, I should bring 
disgrace upon the family of her who has been my 
protector and benefactor all my life. It is that I 
would be rewarding the generosity, of which I knew 
nothing until you told it me, by an act so dastardly 
that I scorn it. I am alone. Save one poor old man, 
there is none who will mourn, or whom my sorrowful 
death will injure. No, sir; no admission of mine 
shall ever injure him of whom you speak, and if you 
accuse him I will declare m^^self guilty and thus save 
him.” 

A scowl of absolute ferocity passed over Father 
Gronevitch’s face, as he heard this language, and 
knew by the tone and manner in which it was uttered, 
that the girl’s determination was fixed. He turned 
his back upon her for a moment, and strode across 
the length of the cell to a grated window which looked 
upon the courtyard beneath. Here he stood for_a 
moment apparently in deep thought; then, turning 
and approaching her, he said : 

“ It is fate. Neither you nor I can change it. I 
have, as you say, tortured you. I have wrung your 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


89 


heart, chiefly because I knew the secret which you 
thought hidden from all the world. For the pain I 
have caused you, I owe you some reparation. I will 
pay the debt by reassuring you concerning him whom 
you love. Fear nothing ; he is secure. An ocean 
divides you and the law is powerless to harm him.” 

In another moment the door of the cell ojDened 
noislessly and Father Gronevitch was gone. 

When the jailer entered on his periodical round 
half an hour later, he found Marguerite lying in- 
sensible on her couch. The physician of the prison 
was called, but an examination proved the seizure to 
be unimportant. A slight degree of medical attention 
restored the girl to herself. It was observed as a 
curious feature of her case that from this time forward 
her action, which had hitherto appeared disturbed, and 
her mind which had been restless, were now both 
calm and apparently peaceful. The necromancer, on 
this occasion, had left behind him nothing but 
serenity. 

Meanwhile, the preparations of the law went on with 
that slowness which is characteristic of French juris- 
prudence. The inquisitions to which Marguerite was 
subjected were continued without regard to the fact 
that her responses to the questions asked afforded no 
information of a character calculated to enlighten her 
inquisitors. The due forms of law must be respected, 
and the lines of accusation and evidence be followed 
out and developed into the full proportions of the 
instrument which was finally to take unto itself 
vitality and crush her. 

And so, on one bright summer day Marguerite 
Kemy was arraigned before the high court of jurisdic- 


90 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


tion in whose hands rested the duty of her trial for 
the murder of Madam Amadee Louise de Carteret, at 
her residence in the Eue Lenoir, on the night of the 
19th of June. 

The court-room was thronged with visitors, among 
whom were many of the aristocracy of the Faubourg 
St. Germain, who gazed upon the culprit charged with 
the murder of one of their order with every appear- 
ance of detestation and horror visible in their counte- 
nances. She, modestly attired in black, stood erect 
when called upon to answer the accusation against her 
in open court, and her response, “ I am innocent,” was 
delivered in clear and womanly accents, while her pale 
face assumed a look so spirituelle as almost to seem 
the reflection of that innocence which she claimed. 

The evidence against the accused was displayed in 
proper form by the official to whom that duty be- 
longed. The witnesses were in turn called, and re- 
sponded to the demand made upon them for such evi- 
dence as they had to offer. Prominently set forth 
were the words spoken by Marguerite on the morn- 
ing when she was discovered with the corpse of her 
mistress in her arms. These were ingeniously turned 
against her. The advocate chosen for the prisoner by 
the judge made such defense as the weakness of her 
cause permitted him, but evidently had little heart in 
his effort. 

The main facts relied upon to prove Marguerite’s 
guilt were, the post-mortem examination and analysis, 
by means of which the evidence of poison was detected. 
Second, the confession of the girl herself. Third, the 
known fact that it was her customary duty to admin- 
ister, nightly, a sleeping draught to the deceased. 


THE MALACHITE CHOSS. 


91 


Fourth, and as a motive for the crime, the damning 
fact, now known to all the world, that Madam de Cart- 
eret had left such provision in her will as to place the 
accused almost in affluence, and certainly in an inde- 
pendent position in life. 

When this last accusation was pronounced, a mur- 
mur ran through the assemblage gathered in the court- 
room — a murmur of abhorrence. It seemed beyond 
gainsaying, that Marguerite had somehow arrived at 
the knowledge of the contents of the will — 
perhaps had been informed thereof in a moment of 
tenderness by Madam Carteret herself, whose love 
for Marguerite and whose confidence in her integrity 
were facts thoroughly established by reliable wit- 
nesses. 

On the prisoner herself, this new charge produced 
an effect which was agonizing in its manifestations. 
It could be seen that the spirit which had sustained 
her thus far was nearly broken by this mass of infamy 
which was being heaped up against her. She tottered 
and swayed as she stood grasping the bar of the pris- 
oner’s box, and had she not been sustained by the 
strong arms of the officers at either side of her, she 
would have sunk to the floor. 

There could be but one conclusion to this case. 
Evidence so overwhelming could not be overborne by 
the weight of previous good character. Her con- 
demnation was a self-evident result almost from the 
beginning of the trial. 

The verdict was “ Guilty,’’ and the sentence was 
“ Death.” 

Marguerite was removed from the court-room at the 
close of the trial, and led back to her cell. The only 


92 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


mitigation of her punishment which the court allowed 
was that her execution should not take place until 
sixty days had elapsed from the time of sentence. 

In the mind of Marguerite Kemy — so bewildered 
was she by the final mental struggle through which 
she had passed — there were left but two impressions of 
the scene of the trial. The first of these told her that 
her bright youug life would be concluded in sixty 
days. The other impression was the face of Father 
GronevitcL ; and this haunted her — not because of his 
visit to her cell, but because of his presence at the 
trial. 

At the moment of her sentence, that face had come 
between her and the judgment which was passed upon 
her, and its aspect had been that of vengeance. 


CHAPTER X. 

THE VISION SEEN THROUGH THE GOBELINS TAPESTRY. 

How, WHILE Marguerite Remy’s peril was being 
completed, he in whose behalf she thus placed herself 
— though three thousand miles awa}^, and in days 
before the cable telegraph Avas ever thought of — was 
not ignorant of her situation. 

This Avill, doubtless, seem an absurdity to the reader ; 
though, after all, no more absurd than Avould the 
accomplishment of the cable telegraph and its results 
have seemed to those Avho Avere living at the time of 
our story. 

We left the Yiscount de Yalmy absorbed apparently 
in his neAV project of opening his bachelor residence to 
a festal gathering. The various processes necessary 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


93 


for the viscount’s “ house-warming,’’ as he persisted in 
terming it, had been carried through by all those 
concerned, with a degree of activity and interest 
which could not but presage success. M. Yardie, true 
to his promise, had sent forth the invitations on the 
day following that on which he had received the 
viscount at dinner. 

Pierre, thoroughly conversant with all the accom- 
plishments necessary to his vocation — which combined, 
in his present position in the viscount’s household, 
those of valet, butler and major domo — had taken full 
advantage of the freedom granted him by De Yalmy 
in the matter of expenditure, and, as the occasion 
drew near, promised success, in so far as he could 
control it. 

In the meantime no word escaped the viscount con- 
cerning the circumstances surrounding him in his new 
home, calculated to inform any one with whom he 
conversed on the subject, in reference to the peculiar 
reputation which the house had gained. 

De Yalmy made plenty of acquaintances, being in- 
troduced everywhere in society by M. Yardie; and 
not unnaturally, the reputation of the house in Fourth 
street became frequently the topic of conversation. 
To all questions upon this subject, De Yalmy had but 
one answer — the house was delightful, the situation 
charming, and, so far as he knew, there were no as- 
sociations about it, nor any peculiarities connected 
with it, which were not entirely agreeable to his tastes 
and his sentiments. Yet one who had known the vis- 
count — who had been accustomed to study him — 
might have observed a change in his manner and ap- 
pearance, which, to such a student, would possibly have 


94 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


betokened mental disturbance. His face, which had 
been, as to expression, hitherto transparent, was be- 
come set and hard, being moved from these conditions 
only by excitement and effort. These changes 
in the viscount were faithfully shadowed by others 
like them in his valet ; and this was not surprising, 
when we, who hold the key, set ourselves to analyze 
the inner life of these two, so nearly related, yet so 
opposed in interest ; for so far from sustaining the rep- 
utation which the viscount gave it, the haunted house 
in Fourth street did not, under the influence of his 
occupancy, belie its ancient ill-fame. 

IS^ightly, as master and servant found themselves, 
after the day’s labors or amusements, retired from 
the world and left alone in the possession of their 
mysterious habitation, the experiences of the first 
night which they had passed in the house were re- 
newed to them. It was no wonder that the occur- 
rences of those lonely and solitary hours should leave 
their impress on the countenances of those who wit- 
nessed them. From the first, the viscount had con- 
fided his domestic arrangements to the guidance of 
Pierre. 

This, at night, at least. 

During the day, servants employed for that period 
only, performed the necessary duties which devolved 
upon them, but they left the establishment at sunset. 
Late at night the viscount would return from some 
party, or public place of amusement, and seat himself 
in the library. 

From the moment of their appearance within the 
walls of the building, master and servant would be 
surrounded with a myriad of extraordinary circum- 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


95 


stances and incidents, varying nightly in character, 
but always weird, horrible and mysterious. The man- 
ifestations of an imponderable and unknown force — 
which have become in later days not uncommon 
occurrences, but were in those times little heard of, save 
as discredited legends — were customary phenomena in 
De Yalmy’s present experience. 

At times the upper rooms of the house seemed ten- 
anted by an army of very tangible and material beings. 
Furniture could be heard sounding, as if in the act of 
being dragged across the floor. From various pantries 
and butler’s closets would issue the noise of breaking 
glass and china. At first an examination of the locali- 
ties whence these sounds proceeded elicited no evi- 
dences that there had been any material accident or 
other occurrence. Everything would be found in its 
place, and apparently undisturbed. 

But after a time, the character of these phenomena 
changed. After the noises which proceeded from 
different parts of the house, furniture would be found 
out of place, pictures turned to the wall, or taken away 
therefrom altogether, and many purely physical ob- 
structions to what any human being would have a 
right to consider the ordinary controlling laws, would 
, manifest themselves. 

But this was not all. 

Apart from these physical changes there were as 
frequently occurrences which did not partake of a 
material or substantial character. It is almost impos- 
sible to describe in language the sublimated condition 
which sometimes obtained, and which surrounded the 
Viscount de Yalmy and closed him in from all ex- 
traneous influences. When these assumed their highest 


96 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


character, De Yalmy became isolated even , from his 
servant. He lived, as it were, a new life, and breathed 
a new ether, so subtle and intangible, that — since he 
retained about him, under these strange conditions, all 
of his presence of mind — the thought even occurred to 
him, at times, that his soul was actually emanating 
from its natural casket. In this new field of existence 
was unfolded to him a new capacity for observation, 
seemingly hitherto undeveloped, by whose means a 
panorama of events opened before him, whose verity 
the viscount could neither assert ilor deny. Scenes 
were presented to this new mental vision of his, which 
from their character and surroundings, he knew to be 
of foreign and exotic birth, if they existed at all. 

In reality, he could not justify himself in the belief 
that they were not possibly a kind of intellectual 
mirage, the result of previous e^^perience and reading. 
The tone of De Yalmy’s mind had always been skep- 
tical. He was, in fact, of the newest growth of young 
France, which believed in nothing, trusted nothing, 
hoped for nothing. But through this dense wall of 
skepticism there was now borne in upon his soul a 
force which his intellect might combat, which his 
inner consciousness was compelled to accept. Assum- 
ing in the first instance that the visions, as we may 
call them, which were opened up to him, were vagaries, 
dreams, the result of indigestion, or to be explaine(l 
away by any other of the thousand-and-one objections 
which answer to the necessities of the materialists, 
there finally came into his experience other tangible 
situations and combinations which fairly startled him 
with the apparent certainty with which they were 
thrust upon him ; and one such instance chanced on 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


97 


the very night before that fixed for the viscount’s 
house-warming. 

He had returned from an evening reception at a late 
hour, and dismissed his servant. He sat in his arm- 
chair by the library table, and, at first, attempted to 
read by the light of the same Argand lamp, to which 
we directed the attention of the reader in a previous 
description. But he had only been reading a few 
moments, when the light, which emanated from the 
Argand burner, became dissipated and lost. 

Immediately there grew into the atmosphere of the 
room another light — a light, cold, clear, silvery and 
phosphorescent. It radiated from no central point, 
but seemed to permeate the entire apartment. It was, 
so to speak, a flood of illumination rather than 
radiance. 

At first his attention was directed only to this 
phenomenon, which differed in every peculiarity from 
all which had preceded it within his experience. But, 
as his eyes became accustomed to the change, there 
was projected upon the plane of his sight a new 
scene, seemingly supported by an illimitable distance, 
which appeared to be regardless, not only of the Gob- 
elins tapestry which separated the room in which he 
was from that adjoining, but also of the wall of the 
house, the street, the city, the entire surroundings. 

Miles away he saw — on, over the very three thousand 
miles of ocean itself which separated the Viscount de 
Yalmy from the cell where Marguerite Bemy lay un- 
consciously sleeping. 

It was the night of the day on which her sentence 
had been pronounced, and she had returned to her 
place of imprisonment — condemned to die in sixty 
days. 


98 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Before the astonished and horror-stricken gaze of 
Honore de Yalmy, there rose up and offered itself for 
his consideration the gloomy cell, with its single rude 
stool and the rough couch on which Marguerite reposed. 
Then there grew into his consciousness a knowledge 
of the situation of this girl, so distinctly defined, that 
it seemed to him almost as if the story were being told 
him by an unseen visitor. The dead body of Madam 
Carteret had been found — suspicion had pointed 
to Marguerite as her murderer — examination of the 
body had proved the cause of her death — Marguerite 
Kemy had been arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced 
to die in sixty days ! The number of those days was 
fastened upon the viscount’s conviction with an 
emphasis which no time could erase and no oblivion 
forget. He saw her lying pale and cadaverous, as one 
already prepared for the grave. He saw her submit- 
ting to her punishment, her disgrace — the result of her 
fidelity to him. He saw her thus, and the one grain of 
manhood, which a life cursed with hatred, malice and 
all uncharitableness had left within his soul, rose up to 
urge his interference between his work and this inno- 
cent girl’s destruction. The vision faded from before 
his sight; the spiritual light from which it had 
evolved departed ; and the Argand lamp, which had 
not gone out, but paled before the ineffable lumin- 
ousness of this new agency, again illuminated the 
room. 

The Viscount de Yalmy sat with his hands thrust 
through his matted and dampened hair, while his face 
reeked with perspiration. The bell of an adjoining 
church sounded the hour of two o’clock. At that 
mornent there was a loud ring at the front door of the 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


09 


house— SO loud, in fact, that the viscount sprang to his 
feet, for a moment disturbed from his ordinary pres- 
ence of mind. 

The sound of the bell had been heard by Pierre, 
who appeared in the hall on his way downstairs to 
answer this late call. 

In a few moments he was heard ascending the stairs, 
and, presently entering the room, he announced a 
visitor. 

This was a young man, a clerk of M. Yardie, who 
came at this untimely hour, he said, at the urgent re- 
quest of his employer, who, having received that even- 
ing at a late hour a package of letters from abroad, 
had found one among the number, forwarded to him 
by the bankers of De Yalmy, Messrs. D’Herblay, 
Patinat & Cie, addressed to the viscount, and super- 
scribed with the words, “ Yery important.” 

M. Yardie, assuming that the contents of this com-, 
munication must be of a character requiring the 
immediate attention of the viscount, had forthwith 
dispatched the messenger, with orders to arouse him, 
no matter at what hour he might reach the 
house. 

The viscount dismissed the man with a handsome 
gratuity, and after he had gone, sat down to open his 
dispatch. 

It had been the custom of De Yalmy of late, result- 
ing from a circumstance of which he had accidentally 
become cognizant, to consult the Malachite Cross on 
every occasion when his mind was oppressed by a 
doubt, or otherwise disturbed. 

Impressed by the peculiar circumstances of his even- 
ing’s experience, he now drew from the drawer in 


100 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


Avhich he kept it, the morocco casket containing the 
amulet. 

Opening it beneath the light of the Argand lamp, 
his face blanched with fear and horror. 

The Malachite Cross was changed from its original 
verdant hue to a dense ebony blackness. 

The viscount opened his letter and read. 

It was from his mother, and contained, in a few 
lines, the news of the finding of his aunt’s body, and 
the trial, condemnation, and sentence of her murderess. 
Marguerite Eemy. 

And yet^ this was the night of the very day of the 
closing of Alarguerite Renifs trial. 


CHAPTER XL 

THE VISCOUNT BE VALMy’s HOUSE-WARMING- 

On the morning following the events just narrated 
the viscount rose late from his bed, as he had retired 
late to it. The effects of the scenes through which he 
had passed on the previous night had left their 
impress indelibly upon his countenance. His manner 
was, evidently, constrained, he was thoughtful, and 
said little. His mind recurred to the last days of his 
visit to Paris with a feeling more akin to remorse than 
he had ever experienced before. 

Xot, however, for the crime which he had 
committed, cruel, and marked by base ingratitude and 
want of common natural feeling as this had been. 
To be just, it must be allowed that in the viscount’s 
judgment, warped and gnarled as it was, this crime 
had ceased to become one in the light thrown upon it 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


101 


by the tremendous enterprise which he had under- 
taken. 

Imbued by the teachings of Father Gronevitch with 
the idea that he was predestined to become the master 
of the Malachite Cross and its supernatural gifts, De 
Yalmy was not one to permit anything, even human 
life itself, to stand in the way of what he deemed to 
be his fate. Therefore, he discarded from the begin- 
ning and even without effort, all sentiments of affec- 
tion or veneration toward his aunt. Madam Carteret, 
lest these should tend to draw him aside from that 
which had become the cherished purpose of his life. 

But, strange to say, the injury which his act had 
caused to Marguerite Eemy was the incident in the 
carrying out of his purpose which had never occurred 
to him, which he had not intended, and concerning 
which he now experienced a degree of regret which 
was utterly foreign to his nature. 

In his many visits to his aunt during recent years, 
this young girl, who, as we have said before, was more 
a favorite companion than a servant, had innocently, 
so far as intention was concerned, obtained a hold 
upon the viscount’s regard which even he himself did 
not suspect, but which regard, now grown into an 
absolute passion, reared itself as a phantom before his 
mental vision. 

It was indeed strange, considering the circumstances 
involved in the occurrences of the eventful nineteenth 
of June, that De Yalmy should not have been led long 
before this to the consideration of the probability of 
Marguerite’s being suspected of the deed which he 
had committed. But, as is not uncommonly the case 
with those who fix their mind upon the accomplish- 


102 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


merit of one object, De Yalmy had devoted himself 
peculiarly and entirely to this work, and had never 
even regarded the barriers which might interfere 
with him in his act, nor the results which might 
follow it, apart from their immediate effects upon his 
own life. 

If he thought anything about it, he thought only 
that Madam Carteret, being old and being infirm, 
would have been supposed to have died of those 
morbid conditions. That there had been an immediate 
suspicion of murder came upon him like a thunder- 
clap out of a clear sky, astounding him, and confusing 
all his previous ideas in relation to the whole affair. 

And, indeed, this is not surprising ; for, if Marguerite 
Eemy had not given way to her feelings and her 
newly born suspicions at once in that wild cry of 
remorse and despair which had so connected her with 
the crime, it is doubtful if the viscount’s judgment 
with regard to the conclusions reached by the law 
would not have been confirmed. 

And therefore it was on this day — the day of all 
others in his new life when he most wished to be at 
ease — De Yalmy found himself the victim of utter 
inquietude. 

During the forenoon business called him to the lower 
part of the city, and the better to lose sight of his 
mental perturbation by physical activity, he walked 
from the house in Fourth street, down Broadway in 
the direction of Wall street, where his business ded him. 

As though the coincidences which seem to float in 
the air — the spiritual influences which so frequently 
appear to work together to our detriment when 
trouble or misfortune o’ertake us — were specifically 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


103 


engaged in this objectionable business with regard to 
the Viscount de Valmy — there happened to him that 
particular incident of all others which, in his present 
frame of mind, must necessarily and vividly revive in 
him those special impressions which he most desired to 
discard and elude. 

He had nearly reached the park in his promenade 
down the fashionable thoroughfare of Hew York, 
when suddenly, and without warning, a large dark 
object flung itself upon him, prostrating him at once 
to the ground. Startled out of his usual self-control 
it was not instantaneously that De Valmy discovered 
what manner of creature it was which had thus rudely 
borne him down. 

He had fallen upon his back, and the first impres- 
sion which he had experienced was that he was in the 
grasp of some wild animal. Close to his face were the 
open jaws, the glaring eyes, the thick shaggy hair of — 
as it seemed to him — some dangerous beast of prey. 

Possessed of great physical strength and remark- 
able self-control and agility, no sooner had his mind 
appreciated the presence of absolute physical danger 
than he commenced a terrible struggle to combat it. 

With an effort of muscular force entirely dispropor- 
tionate to his size, he succeeded in breaking loose from 
the weight which pressed upon his chest, and in a 
moment he overthrew the creature which had attacked 
him. 

Leaping to his feet, he found himself confronted by 
a huge dog, a Siberian mastiff, gray as to color, and 
standing nearly four feet in height, with an enormous 
head, and powerful jaws. 

As he fell back upon his haunches, thrown there by 


104 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


the impetuosity of the viscount’s movements, the 
brute displayed a ferocity in his bristling hair and 
angry appearance generally, which was positively 
fiendish. 

With a single glance at the savage countenance, 
hungry for his blood, there flashed upon the viscount’s 
memory a scene which was at once the parallel and 
precursor of this one ; for the glare of the infuriated 
animal conveyed in it not anger alone, but intelligence 
and recollection, and the viscount recognized, while 
his spirit fairly sank within him, the savage animal 
whose unaccountable rage had displayed itself against 
him on the occasion of his experience with Madam 
Carteret’s pensioners in the courtyard of the house in 
the Eue Lenoir. 

Fortunately for the viscount, who else would cer- 
tainly have been torn to pieces, the master of the dog 
— whose attention, it seems, had been turned for a 
moment in some other direction — now, hearing the 
disturbance behind him, came to the rescue. 

Fortunately, also, this gentleman possessed complete 
control over the dangerous animal. 

Striking him a sharp blow with a cane which he 
carried in his hand, he spoke to the dog in the Eussian 
language. 

Immediately, the creature turned from his prey, and 
his master apologized in bad French to the viscount. 

Following obediently at the Eussian’s heels in a 
direction opposite to that toward which the viscount 
was proceeding — not until his form had disappeared 
around the corner of the next street did the viscount 
sufficiently recover himself to reply politely to the 
expressions of sympathy which he received from the 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


105 


considerable group of bystanders which had been 
collected together by this incident; and breaking 
loose from these as soon as possible, De Yalmy called 
a carriage, in which he bestowed himself, and desired 
the driver to take him home again. 

He was altogether in too disturbed a condition of 
mind and body both, to venture to attend to his 
business transactions in Wall street, on that day at 
least. 


It was eleven o’clock at night, and the old house in 
Fourth street, illuminated brilliantly from roof to 
cellar, was the center of attraction to a considerable 
crowd outside, and the scene of brilliant hilarity and 
festivity within. Carriage after carriage drove up to 
the door, and deposited beneath the awning which 
had been erected over the sidewalk, its contents of 
‘‘fair women and brave men.” 

Up and down the broad staircase, through the wide 
halls, and within the brilliantly lighted rooms, there 
ebbed and flowed a noisy tide of humanity, beautiful 
in gay apparel, and voluble in sharply scintillating 
passages of witty conversation. A fine orchestra of 
stringed instruments poured forth a mellow flood of 
music, and in certain rooms dancing was progressing 
with the activity and the sensual enjoyment wliich 
characterized this species of amusement at the period 
of which we are writing. 

Solid old merchants played whist together in the 
library; staid matrons and chaperons gossiped here, 
while their daughters flirted yonder: gems sparkled, 
plumes tossed and waved above the floating current of 


106 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


the crowd ; rich silks, and laces, and velvets, and satins, 
trailed over the soft eastern carpet : servants in livery 
glided hither and thither as the necessities of the 
guests bestowed them ; and among them all, with a 
pleasant word for each, and with apparent enjoyment 
suffusing his countenance with absolute radiance,- the 
Yiscount de Yalmy played the part of the host of the 
evening as the teachings of a high-born lineage and 
the instincts of natural aristocracy would have seemed 
to direct him. 

The Yardies had arrived first among all the guests, 
Gabriel Yardie radiant and rubicund, arrayed in 
immaculate white and venerable black. The affable 
and genial old gentleman was probably more essentially 
in his natural element than at any other period of his 
life, for if not at home and the host himself, he was 
what was much better — the mentor and benefactor of 
the host, the power behind the throne, the deus ex 
machiiid at whose bidding all these choice spirits had 
leaped into beautiful combination —to his own proper 
glory and self-satisfaction. 

As to Madam Yardie, no description could do her 
justice. 

Clad in white silk, resplendent in rich jewels, with 
a diadem on her brow, shining like a star, her pale face 
slightly flushed with the excitement of the occasion, 
or possibly some deeper motive — she seemed at once 
spiritual and human — a joy to the sense and a delight 
to the soul. 

Having kindly taken upon herself the task of so 
much of the entertainment of the viscount’s guests as 
the latter could not properly assume himself, most 
charmingly and winningly did she fulfill her mission. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


107 


Always a favorite in society, to-night she outshone 
herself ; at all times the center of a laughingly admir- 
ing group, who listened attentively and flatteringly to 
her brilliant flights of badinage and repartee, her 
presence beneath his roof seemed to the viscount to 
offer an embodiment of all the perfection possible to 
her sex. So deeply was De Yalmy impressed with her 
beauty, her intelligence, and her manner, that although 
he was not in the least wanting in proper attention to 
his duties as host of this occasion, he could not refrain 
from following Madam Yardie wherever she went, 
and was to be found constantly during the evening, 
the chief worshiper at her shrine. 

Toward midnight, it chanced that a few ladies and 
gentlemen, including De Yalmy and Madam Yardie, 
had retired from the confusion of the dancers and of 
the more noisy conversationalists into the seclusion of 
the library, which had been by this time vacated by 
the card players. There were four or five present and 
these fell, not unnaturally, to talking of the suspicion 
which had so long kept vacant the beautiful dwelling 
in which they were gathered. 

At first, De Yalmy sought to avoid all consideration 
of this subject, and endeavored to divert the minds of 
those present to another topic of conversation; but, 
with the perversity which seems sometimes to become 
a ruling force in the transactions of men and women, 
no other subject could be broached, for which his guests 
adpeared to feel the slightest interest; and to his con- 
fusion, and somewhat to his annoyance, and with a 
seemingly mischievous spirit which he had not before 
seen her display, chief among those who had appeared 
thus determined to disturb his equanimity, was Madam 
Yardie. 


108 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Plied with questions and wearied with importunities, 
De Yalmy at last saw that it was vain to attempt to 
stem the current of fate whose tortuous course he 
alone of those present could trace. 

Now there would come to him a conviction to which 
he had hitherto blinded himself — a conviction that he 
was indeed powerless in the hands of powerful in- 
fluences ; that, do what he might, avoid and elude as 
best he could the fatality Avhich pursued him, it would 
constrain him to its purpose, notwithstanding. 

As has been already observed, De Yalmy, usually 
unscrupulous, had found himself disturbed with regard 
to Madam Yardie,and now, w’hen the secret influences 
whose clews he held were forcing his life into an 
association with hers which he dreaded, it was with 
something of horror that he contemplated the situation. 
But, sitting in his chair at the library table, on which 
his hand rested, and knowing that beneath that hand 
there lay the secret force which only he understood or 
could control — by which he could almost with an effort 
of his will bring dismay, sorrow, and conflict to bear 
upon this young life which he contemplated even 
passionately by this time, he could not resist the 
temptation to sway that life to his purpose, regardless 
even of the results of such a determination. 

It had groAvn upon him with the vividness of a con- 
viction since he had learned the probable fate of Mar- 
guerite Kemy, that only through Madam Yardie 
could that fate be avoided. He knew, althouerh he 
had striven to resist the conviction, that she must be 
the instrument in the intended interference to save the 
innocent girl, who, he felt convinced, was sacrificing 
herself to avert disaster from him. 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


1U9 


These thoughts passed through his mind while parry- 
ing the numerous questions to which we have already 
adverted. And now there came to him a resolution. 
There was a lull in the confusion of the assemblage 
without the library, and presently, Gabriel Yardie 
entered the room and announced that supper was on 
the table, and that all were proceeding to partake 
of it. 

None of those assembled in the library responded to 
this call ; at the same time, as if the intention of De 
Yalmy had been diffused among his companions, 
silently and by impression only — Madam Yardie 
answered for the rest, when with a forced laugh she 
said : 

“We are none of us hungry, my dear; and we are 
all very much interested in the viscount’s conversation. 
He is going to tell us the truth about the ‘ haunted 
house.’ ” 

“ Supposing,” said the viscount, “ that you, my dear 
M. Yardie, take it upon yourself to complete your 
kindness in this matter, by acting the host at the sup- 
per-table. I dare say we will not be missed.” 

To this, M. Yardie, who took the request as a com- 
pliment, willingly consented, and departed to assume 
his functions. 

Then the viscount rose, and as the last of the de- 
parting guests in the next room were seen leaving it, 
on their way to the supper-room, he loosened the cord 
which held apart the Gobelins tapestry. It fell, and 
the little group in the library were shut in to- 
gether. 

The viscount returned to his seat. 

There may be one or two of the persons still living 


110 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


who were gathered in the viscount’s library on the 
occasion of which we write. These, if any such there 
be, will not need to have their memories jogged con- 
cerning the events of the single half-hour during which 
they were made acquainted with some of the peculiar- 
ities of the house in which the}" were guests. 

De Yalmy had hardly taken his seat, and the folds 
of the Gobelins tapestry were still waving, when the 
lights in the room, and there were many — suddenly 
grew dim, until only the forms of those present were 
outlined, each to his neighbor. 

Then, in the far extremity of the apartment, sud- 
denly there grew to be a luminous mist, which 
presently filled all that portion of it. 

It was as though one were looking into a fog at sea, 
through which the sun might vainly endeavor to pen- 
etrate. 

And now there darted across this dense mist of 
seeming vapor, flashes of lightning, while a loud crash, 
like thunder shook the house to its foundation, and the 
air was filled with a sulphurous smell. 

Presently, there was seen through the mist the cell 
of Marguerite, with its rude stool, on which the girl 
was seated. As they gazed, the door of the cell opened, 
and there entered the veiled figure of a woman, who 
approached the young girl. 

With a motion of her hand, she flung aside her veil 
and disclosed her features. They were those of 
Madam Yardie. 

The scene vanished as it came, the mist closed in 
before it, and this was presently dissipated ; the lights 
in the room blazed up as before — and when De Yalmy 
turned to look upon Madam Yardie, he saw her sit- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Ill 


ting erect in her chair, with her eyes staring widely 
open, and seemingly without expression, and her 
whole figure rigid and fixed. All those in the room 
were bending forward with a scared look, and some 
one stepped forward and said : 

“ Madam Yardie has fainted.” 

Placing his hand on her forehead, De Yalmy said 
to her in a low voice : 

‘‘ Tell me what you know, and what I am to do.” 

Her lips parted and from between them there issued, 
in a voice whose sound was strange to all those present, 
and in no particular like that of Madam Yardie, these 
words : 

“ The vision is true. . She can be saved, and by me 
alone. In sixty days her life — except by my interces- 
sion — will be forfeited. I can save her, but only by 
means of the Malachite Cross. Hot as I have been, 
but as I am, must I prepare to journey and achieve the 
end. The cross is her protection and my ruin.” 

The lips closed, and the voice was silent. 

Keturning to the library table, the Yiscount de 
Yalmy unlocked the drawer and took from it the 
casket containing the Malachite Cross. Opening this, 
he held the cross by the chain of oriental workmanship 
to which it was attached, and displayed it silently 
before the others. 

Ho word was spoken. Stepping quickly to the side 
of Madam Yardie, he hung the chain around her neck. 
As he did so a shudder passed through her frame. 
Lifting her hand she took the cross and hid it in her 
bosom. The viscount observed that its blackness 
had departed from it, and that it again, as of old, dis- 
j)]ayed its sea-green color, with the lines of sea-foam 
running through it. 


112 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Just then the band below commenced playing and 
the footsteps of the guests could be heard, as some of 
them were returning from the supper-room. 

Madame Yardie rose from her seat and turned to 
the viscount, saying : 

“ Give me your arm, and we will join the others.” 

Her manner was natural, except that it was cold 
and constrained. She moved easily through the 
room, leaning on De Yalmy’s arm, but said nothing 
further. 

Turning to the others, who had with himself wit- 
nessed the scene which had just taken place before 
them, he remarked simply, but emphatically : 

“ I need not suggest caution or require silence. 
Such a course of conduct will occur to you.” 

The viscount lifted the Gobelins tapestry, and they 
passed through the front room and joined the assem- 
bled guests in the corridor. 


CHAPTEK XII. 

OLD LAMSON’s circus. 

At the house-warming of the Yiscount de Yalmy, 
concerning which we gave an account in our last chap- 
ter, Claude Yardie was present with his father and 
Madam Yardie ; and this fact was not mentioned, be- 
cause of its unimportance as bearing upon the occasion ; 
but fate never despises even the meanest instrument in 
achieving its purposes, and the time has now arrived 
when the connection of this young man with our story 
becomes vital. 

The sentiment with which the Yiscount de Yalmy 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


113 


had viewed the young Franco- American at the dinner- 
party where he was first introduced to him, had borne 
no fruit in the mind of the former, of so little moment 
did he estimate the acquaintance ; but the feeling of 
dislike had been mutual, as regarded these two — only 
in the mind of young Yardie it had assumed a more 
inimical character, for reasons not difficult for any one 
versed in human nature to understand. 

It was the natural opposition of a low order of mind 
to one above it, the outcrop of a brutal instinct as 
against intelligence combined with education. 

Claude had been invited to the viscount^s house- 
warming, had accepted the invitation both on his own 
behalf and that of sundry of his friends, and had 
been present with these latter. He had devoted him- 
self to the enjoyment of the evening, as was his cus- 
tom whenever and wherever enjoyment became 
practicable. But while doing this — with a degree of 
acuteness with which De Yalniy would never have 
credited him, even had he taken the trouble to form 
any opinion with regard to it — Claude had not failed 
to watch the conduct of the viscount, and not less that 
of his young and beautiful stepmother. 

As, however, he did not form one of the group 
whose experiences in the library behind the Gobelins 
tapestry we have narrated, it may be supposed that 
the watchfulness availed him little. One supposing 
this, however, would err materially, from ignorance 
of the character of Claude Yardie. 

This young man was selfish, conceited, foppish and 
unprincipled. But he did not lack brains of a quality 
not uncommonly allied to just these imperfections. 

He was shrewd, suspicious and logical ; could put 


114 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


two and two together and make five with quite the 
ease with which the ordinary product is reached by 
ordinary arithmeticians. In fact, a large portion of 
his life was passed in solving precisely this kind of a 
problem : that is, how to gain a little more out of a 
given sum than could anybody else. 

Claude detested his stepmother for the same reason 
which had made him a sudden and implacable enemy 
of Honore de Yalmy. No love was lost between 
these two, for Madam Vardie felt and had no hesita- 
tion in displaying a degree of contempt for her 
stepson, the frequent expression of which did not 
tend very much to make their relations amicable. 

Therefore, having these feelings in his heart, and 
although there was not much opportunity for him to 
exercise his genius for espionage, young Yardie made 
the best of what there was on the occasion of the 
house-warming, and, as will be seen, managed certainly 
to turn this to some account. 


A bird’s-eye view would have presented a broad and 
crooked yard, covering a square of land on the chief 
thoroughfare, in the midst of churches and dwellings 
and shops ; a yard large enough, in fact, to have made 
a tolerably-sized park, but without a tree, shrub or 
fiower to give title to the name; a yard on whose 
foundation could have been built blocks of houses, a 
church, a manufactory, a theater, with room to spare ; 
a yard available for so many useful and valuable pur- 
poses, that the mind might have been lost in deciding 
to which to appropriate it ; yet there it lay unsightly, 
where all else was beautiful, closed in by a tall, gray 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


115 


ungainly, tumble-down fence, pierced with knotholes 
and wormholes. 

Inside, the spectator would have been bewildered in 
conceiving its use, for all guide he might find around 
him. All about him, leaning against the high board 
fence; leaning against each other; lying down, as 
though wearied out with hope of future usefulness 
long deferred ; standing up, as with dim faith in the 
ingenuity of man and conceited trustfulness in their 
own worth — were piles, heaps, platoons and squads 
of old doors, old windows, old frames and old stair- 
cases, and every conceivable kind of rusty house 
lumber congregated together, as though in an asylum 
for decayed woodwork, or a penitentiary for false and 
unprofitable joinery. 

A close examination would have drawn from this 
heterogeneous collection food for thought, and even 
some hint for romance. 

Take the doors, for instance : they were all together, 
for every class of article had its appointed place ; but 
as for direction, the different masses and heaps went 
where they listed, and a slight cant, one way or 
another, frequently altered the arrangement of the 
whole yard ; so that one who was passably familiar 
with its highways and byways, often found himself at 
a loss, by reason of the frequent changes. 

Concerning the doors, they were divers as to kinds, 
and multitudinous as to number. 

There were massive and solid mahogany doors, 
embossed with grotesque carvings, sometimes orna- 
mented with quaint forms of knocker, always weather- 
beaten, time-worn, and bearing marks of long and 
constant service ; but always bearing witness to 
association with wealth and luxury. 


116 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


As a great naturalist could define and portray a 
whole skeleton from a single bone, so from such a door 
could be erected the massive structure to which it had 
been attached, and the varied life it had shut in from 
the outer world. 

Close behind this, leaned some poor dilapidated old 
fragment, that had once been the portal to the lowest 
class of tenement house. All the dirt and smoke and 
poverty of the place seemed to be illustrated in this 
miserable memento. As had doubtless been the case 
with those, a part of whose life had once been to open 
and close it, this door seemed to have received the 
constant blows and contumely of all men. 

Closing in for years all misery, sorrow, sin and 
heartlessness, it seemed to have grown to refiect those 
(|ualities in its dingy, dilapidated old framework. 
Tile mind could picture painful and disgusting poverty, 
with no redeeming feature of self-denial, shut in by 
that door ; blown upon by cold wintry winds through 
its cracks; burst into through its flimsy old fastening 
by drunkenness and debauchery ; startled by its mid- 
night opening to admit the officers of justice ; passing 
through it to the prison or the court-room with harsh 
and horrible accompaniment of curses and lamenta- 
tions ; or trailing across its threshold to the hospital ; 
or borne past in its last receptacle to the grave and 
annihilation. 

The ear could hear through it the blended sounds of 
a life of depravity, the harsh noises of quarrel, the 
groans of sickness and starvation, the stealthy move- 
ments of crime. 

And so upon this lay figure could be constructed a 
whole romance of real life. 


THK MALACHITE CROSS. 


117 


Then there was the door that had once rejoiced in 
the brilliancy of white enamel and gilding. 

It might have opened the way to the boudoir of 
some fair lady, or to the inner circle of a gambling- 
hell. It told of luxuriousness and high living; of 
midnight gatherings ; of stolen interviews ; of all the 
hidden mysteries of high life. 

The green baize spring door of the bank or olFice ; 
the well-worn entrance of the pawnbroker’s shop ; the 
little half-gate of the barroom ; the stairway protection 
to the toddling and insecure footsteps of infancy — each 
and all told a tale of human life, of its fortunes and 
misfortunes, its errors and accidents, its crimes and 
punishments. 

And so the windows ; all devoid of glass, but easy to 
distinguish, by size, shape and appearance, one from 
another. 

The great iron framework, that told of French plate 
glass and a view of silks, satins, India webs, toys, 
confectionery, gold and silver, jewels, Lyons velvets, 
carpets of Axminster, laces of Yalenciennes, rich 
furniture — every rare and beautiful thing that the eye 
could grow bright over, or the heart desire. 

The paltry frame with its seven-by-nine cavities had 
once let in light on some miserable attic or dingy 
cellar. 

Windows of noble mansions, shop-windows, school- 
house- windows, ch urch- w indo ws, carriage- win do ws — 
every imaginable form and shape for the admission of 
light to every existing structure. 

Grass-grown pathways meandered in tortuous and 
inscrutable mystery in every possible direction ; 
mazy roads that began everywhere and ended no- 


118 


THE MALACHITE CUOSS. 


where. Dubious as to intention and deceptive as to 
end, the unhappy explorer found in tracking these 
intramural wilds, but inextricable confusion and 
labyrinthian incongruity. 

Should the embarrassed pilgrim pause with the 
hope of restoring order out of this ligneous chaos, and 
endeavor to elucidate the hidden mysteries of the 
place by some consideration of the classification of its 
extraordinary inclosure, he would seem to be baffled 
at the outset. 

If he hoped to obtain a clew by following the 
avenues of staircases, he would be suddenly drawn 
aside by a cross-road of window-frames, or find his 
progress barred by a breastwork of front doors with a 
rampart of water-spouts. 

Taking these by escalade, he would perceive that the 
breastwork was supported by a masked battery of 
sinks, and that protected by a heavy flanking of iron 
railings. Then, overcome by the difficulties of the 
undertaking, he would probably wander aimlessly in 
search of a means of exit, and when found, pass away, 
disheartened at the impossibility of pursuing his 
voyage of discovery to a successful conclusion. 

The place was known as “ Old Lamson’s Circus.” 

But why Lamson, and why Circus ? 

The oldest inhabitant of the neighborhood — a market- 
gardener who had resided within sight of the yard 
for twenty years, and remembered distinctly when all 
that vicinity was waste land, where his cows used to 
pick up a toothsome but precarious livelihood, until 
the advance of civilization crowded them further on 
to the suburbs — this worthy huckster had also a vivid 
recollection of the occasion of the yard’s being appro- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


lid 

priated to its present use. It was only some ten years 
before, although it seemed now as if it never had been 
used for anything different. 

He “had no knowledge of no Lamson,” he said, 
“ nor no circus neither ; ” yet he had never heard it 
called by any other name “ even before it was turned 
into a old lumber-yard.” So the name clung to it with- 
out reason, yet with a tenacity that neither time nor 
change could affect. 

Perhaps in days gone by, before the market-gardener 
had arrived at years sufficiently discreet to permit of 
his participation in such amusements, the yard may 
have been the scene of those wonderful evolutions and 
magic transformations which are connected with the 
name' of circus. Perhaps somewhere within the old 
worm-eaten fence had been drawn the fairy ring with 
its flooring of sawdust, its furnishing of rude benches, 
and its accompaniment of flaring candles on an 
impromptu chandelier twirling around the center pole 
of a great tent. 

Perhaps there had glistened the tinsel and the trap- 
pings ; there the clown had uttered his antiquated jest 
and shouted his “ hoop-la,” there had circulated the 
fiery steeds in their perpetual canter ; there had ap- 
peared the hoops, the balancing-pole, the hurdles, the 
ring-master with his whip, and all the other adjuncts 
of tlie institution that so delights juvenile humanity. 

These might have been. But where were now 
circus and proprietor ? Gone, faded away into the 
past, leaving not a trace behind but a name — for which 
nobody could account. 

Such, however, as I have described it, was the place 
known as Lamson’s Circus, in the days of which I 


120 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


write ; and such in particular it was on a rainy August 
evening in the year 1843. 

At the hour when shops were beginning to be 
lighted up, and when the thoroughfare was crowded 
with omnibuses and carriages and drays, all forming 
a procession moving homeward from the day’s labor ; 
at the hour when the sidewalks were thronged with 
men and boys and girls, some with umbrellas, and some 
without : some with market-baskets, and some with 
bundles ; but all pursuing the same direction with a 
steady precision and rapidity of movement that de- 
noted the motive power of one absorbing idea ; at the 
hour when home, rest and food alike impelled the rich 
merchant and the poor office-boy, the lady, belated 
with her shopping, and the poorly clad shop-girl be- 
hind her ; at the hour when aristocratic young New 
York in general was partaking of its evening meal 
with its aristocratic accompaniment of silver, crystal 
glass, rich viands, and ripe wines — Claude Yardie made 
his appearance, walking rapidly up the side street on 
the corner of which was Old Lamson’s Circus, and 
presently pausing at the gate thereof, within which, 
and sheltered by a little rookery, termed by extreme 
courtesy “ the office,” sat an aged man, the warden 
and custodian of the place. 

Closing his umbrella Claude lifted the latch of the 
small door in the larger gate which gave entrance to 
the yard, and found himself confronted by the old man 
in charge. This old fellow was a character ; he was 
an Irishman, had never been known to occupy himself 
with any other business than that of watching over 
the yard in the interest of his employers, whoever they 
might be ; was reticent, close-mouthed as a fish, and 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


131 


offering no advantage to the many who questioned him 
concerning his employment; and was in person a 
square, thick-set man of about sixty-five or seventy 
years of age, having a coarse, grizzled beard and spiky 
gray hair, and a countenance rendered extremely 
repulsive from the fact of a broken nose and an 
abnormally long mouth being the predominant 
features. 

“A bad night, Michael,” was Claude Yardie’s first 
salutation. 

“You’re right, it is,” was the laconic answer. 

“ Feels more like November than August, don’t it ? ” 

“ It does. ” 

“ Anybody been here to-night ? ” 

“ Devil a one, your honor.” 

“ Not my friend, Victor ? ” 

“ Nor he, your honor.” 

“ Very strange,” said Claude, half to himself ; “ I am 
late, and he is usually punctual.” 

“ ’Tis strange, but bedad ’tis thrue ; ” and so saying, 
the Irishman stepped within the door beside which 
this short conversation had been held, and was followed 
by Claude, who closed the door after him. 

The Irishman took a pipe from a little shelf, lighted 
it, and began smoking, seating himself on a broken- 
down chair as he did so. 

Claude threw off a thin waterproof overcoat which 
he wore as a protection against the severe and unsea- 
sonable rain-storm and seating himself on another 
article of the same order of dilapidated furniture, drew 
a handsome cigar-case from his pocket, and extracting 
a cigar therefrom, lighted the latter with one of those 
elaborate and fancy cigar-lighting contrivances formed 


122 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


of a flint, steel and some inflammable substance, which 
were much in vogue at that time. 

Then, as he puffed the first few clouds of fragrant 
smoke from his lips, he said : “You will burn this old 
rookery down over your head some time, Michael.” 

“I will — I mane I won’t, your honor. I have 

shmoked here these past ” and here the Irishman 

stopped short with a half cough, and resumed his pipe, 
dropping into silence, apparently as a refuge against 
some unwonted burst of confidence. 

This was about as near as anybody ever got to 
learning anything of his past from the lips of Michael 
Shanahan ; and being well aware of this fact, the sud- 
den collapse of the conversation caused no surprise in 
the mind of young Yardie, who continued to smoke 
in silence for some moments. 

Presently, however, he looked at the Irishman 
keenly, and said : “You must have had a queer life of 
your own, Michael.” 

“You’re right, I have, your honor.” 

“ Do you never talk to anybody any more than you 
do to me ? ” 

“ The devil a word, onless I’m dhruv to it, and that’s 
not often.” 

“I should think you would forget the sound of your 
own voice.” 

“ Well I don’t thin,” said the Irishman ; and he took 
his pipe out of his mouth and looked at Claude eagerly 
for a moment ; “ I wish I might. It’s often, indade, I 
wish I’d been born spacheless.” 

“And why so?” asked Claude, surprised at the 
manner of the man as much as with his words. 

“Shure, if it hadn’t been for shpakin’ wans 
often, I wouldn’t been here this minit.” 


too 


lEE MALACHITE CliOSS. 123 

‘‘Well, perhaps you might have been in a worse 
place.” 

The Irishman looked at him with an air of exceeding 
contempt. 

“ A wurs’ place is it ? There is no sich ; the divil a 
one.” 

“ And where do you think you would have been, 
Michael, if you had held your tongue at the time you 
mentioned ? ” 

“Married and setthled, your honor, wid a place o’ 
my own in the ould country, wid havers o’ pigs and a 
horse maybe — ony ways, a cow.” 

“And how did you lose all this?” 

“ Faix thin. I’ll till you ; it’s a short sthory.” 

“ I believe that,” said Claude, “ or you wouldn’t tell 
it.” 

“You’re right, I wouldn’t. Well, ’twas whin I wus 
a bit gossoon, ’twas my ould gran’father as wus a dyin’, 
and you see, your honor, I wus the ould man’sfavorit’. 
He was a cottier wid as nice a farm as you’d loike to 
luk upon; and so I wus his favorit’, on account o’ 
havin’ done his little jobs o’ work for the ould man 
whin he wus ailin’, feeble-loike, and bekase as he wus 
bad friends wid my father — that was his son, do you 
moind ? 

“ So whin he wus a dyin’, an’ he sint for the praste 
an’ for the atturney, an’ I knowed it, an’ mad’ shure as 
I wud git the properthy, from bearin’ all the nabors 
round say I wud, why, what dus I do but snakes into 
a cupboard jist behoind the ould man’s bid, and there 
I waited. And so, thin the praste and the atturney 
they cum both togither, and the ould man, says he to 
the woman what tuk care av ‘ im,’ it’s the atturney I’ll 


124 


THE MALACHITE CIlO^S. 


be afther seein’ furst, bekase av I doi befoor I git my 
will mad’, thin there will be the divil’s OAvn toime over 
my bones, and all about my bit of proper thy. But av 
I doi befoor I see the praste, my heirs will mak’ it all 
right wid him afther I’m did, and ’twill only be sthop- 
ping a bit in purgathory, onywhy’ — an’ there you see, 
your honor, wus where the ould gintleman showed 
what a head he had onto him. 

“ So thin the atturney cam’ in, and the ould man 
set him a-writhin’ his will. And afther allowin’ for 
som’ geese which he gav’ to ould Biddy Malone, who 
watched wid him dhurin’ his sickness ; and lavin’ a 
bit o’ mone\^ which he had in the bank in the county 
town for the praste to say masses wid, afther he avus 
did ; thin, he says, says he, ‘An’ all the rist o’ my 
furnisher, an’ my house, an’ my farm an’ the coav, and 
the horse — sthop a bit though — I’ll give the horse to 
— no, I Avun’t — and the horse, i very thing ilse as is 
left, I giv’, to’ — an’ here, loike an ijit as I avus, I 
poked my head out o’ the dhoor of the cupboard, 
Avhoile the ould man avus Avaitin’ a bit befoor he 
shpoke my name, and says I widhout thinkin’, and 
jist bekase I avus excited loike, says I — ‘ to Michael 
Shanahan.’ The ould man just turned his head oA^er a 
little on the pilloAV, an’ looked at me out o’ his blary 
ould oi, and says he, ‘ The divil a hap’orth o’ moine 
Avill ever you get for shpakin,’ and Avid that, a v he 
didn’t go and giv’ the whole proceeds to the praste.” 

Claude laughed long and loud as the Irishman 
concluded his story ; but the thought occurred to him 
that even after this unAvonted burst of confidence, he 
really knew very little more about Michael Shanahan’s 
past life and his present emolovraent than he did 
before. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


125 


And just then there was heard without the stamping 
of feet, as a newcomer shook the rain from his cloth- 
ing ; then the outer gate was opened ; and as Michael 
opened the door of the office, there entered a young 
man whom Claude immediately addressed as though 
he expected him, saying : 

“ You are late, Yictor ” but he paused, and said 

no more, for behind his friend appeared the trim, 
compact figure of the man whom our readers know 
as Pierre, the Yiscount de Yalmy’s valet and man- 
of-all-work. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THE CONSPIRACY. 

The young man whom Claude called Yictor entered 
the little office, and gazed about him as if he were 
astonished at the appearance of the place in which he 
found himself. Behind him still followed Pierre, who 
took no notice of anything, but stood silent and 
waiting 

At a glance from Claude Yardie, the Irishman, 
Michael, retired through a door in the rear partition 
of the room and disappeared into the purlieus beyond, 
as though understanding that the two friends and 
their companion desired to be alone. 

The young man named Yictor war about Claude’s 
age, evidently a foreigner, and was dressed in the 
height of fashion. The conversation which followed 
was held partly in the French language and partly in 
English. 

“ This is a curious place you have brought me to,” 


126 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


said Victor ; “ what in the world made you select it 
for our meeting? It appears to me that I could have 
suggested much more comfortable quarters for the 
purpose.” 

Claude laughed. “ Well, one place is as good as 
another, I suppose,” said he ; ‘‘I wished to be where 
we would not be interrupted.” 

“ Which we are not likely to be here, I should 
imagine,” said the other ; “ I have brought Pierre with 
me,” he said, “ as you desired.” 

Claude Vardie looked at the vajet and nodded 
slightly, while he said ‘‘ Sit down both of you,” and the 
three availed themselves of such sitting accommo- 
dations as the place afforded. 

“ W ell,” said Claude, after they were seated, “ I am 
ready to hear what you have to offer.” 

“ Very well,” responded the other, and, turning to 
Pierre, he said : ‘‘Now tell Monsieur Vardie what you 
think and what you have told me.” 

Pierre cleared his throat, and then said: “Well, sir, 
I was telling this gentleman that I thought there was 
some deviltry going on in my young master’s mind, 
some rascality which he is perfectly capable of, by the 
way, and which, I thought, might perhaps get the 
gentleman’s stepmother. Madam Vardie, into diffi- 
culty.” 

“ What do you apprehend ? ” said Claude. 

“ Well, you see, sir,” continued the valet, “ there is a 
great deal more truth than is generally supposed about 
the reputation of that infernal old rookery we are 
living in ; things have come to pass there, which would 
have driven me away long ago, only that I have my 
own interests to take care of, and that they happen to 
be rather important.” 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


127 


“ So 5 ; ou think the house is really haunted ? ’’ said 
Claude Vardie, with a rather sarcastic smile. 

Fieri e did not fail to see the smile and to appreciate 
the implied sarcasm ; but, taking no notice of either, 
he went on : 

“ Well, sir, you may call it haunted, or not, as you 
please. I know this: my young master and I have 
seen sights there which would, I think, make you two 
gentlemen shake in your shoes if j’^ou were to witness 
them.” 

Both the young men laughed aloud at this obser- 
vation. 

“ But all that is of no particular consequence,” said 
Pierre ; “ the main point is this : by some means, which 
I know nothing about, the viscount has evidently 
gained control over Madam Yardie, who, as you are 
aware, sailed for Europe with her husband on Saturday 
last.” 

“ Exactly,” interrupted Claude, “ and as she has 
sailed for Europe, I fail to see how any influence 
which the Yiscount de Yalmy may have over her, can 
do her any harm, or me any good until she returns ; 
and also I don’t understand— that being the case — 
what service I could be to her, even if 1 were desirous 
of acting that part, which, to tell you the honest truth, 
I am not, particularly.” 

“I am aware,” said Pierre, “that your relations 
with Madam Yardie are not of the most friendly 
nature.” 

“ The deuce you are,” cried Claude surprised ; “ how, 
in the name of all that is wonderful, did you get at 
that fact ? ” 

You see, you admit that it is a fact; and servants 


128 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


have sources of information which are not suspected. 
I also know, and it is that more than anything else 
which interests me just now, that you have not the 
warmest regard for the viscount.’’ 

“Well,” said Claude, “you are as accurate in that 
matter as you were in the other. I don’t think I 
would go very far out of my way to do Monsieur de 
Yalmy a kindness.” 

“Precisely,” said the valet. 

“ But,” here remarked the young man named Victor, 
“tell Monsieur Yardie, Pierre, what you related to me 
concerning Monsieur de Yalmy and Madam Yardie, 
and the incident which occurred on the night of the 
party at your house.” 

“Well,” said Pierre, hesitating, “ what I told the 
gentleman, was, that there were some very queer 
transactions that night in the library. I have been in 
that library once or twice when there happened 
things, which, as I said a little while ago, would 
probably startle you two, and I know* the symptoms. 
When Madam Yardie went into that room with the 
viscount and two or three others, she was gay, 
laughing, and seemingly thinking of nothing but the 
pleasure of the moment ; when she came out, she was 
cold, distrait and not herself.” 

Here Pierre paused. 

“But,” said Victor, quickly, “what about that 
cross ? ” 

Pierre hesitated, as if he did not exactly like taking 
that subject into consideration. However, his hesita- 
tion did not last long, and he presently said, “Well, 
gentlemen, I know I can place confidence in you. I 
am sure you will remember that I am only a servant. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


129 


and that if what I tell you got to the ears of the 
viscount, it would cost me my situation.” 

“You may be sure enough,” said Claude, “that we 
will neither of us communicate a word of what you 
have said to the viscount or any one else. Pray 
proceed.” 

The valet went on : “ The cross, of which the gen- 
tleman has spoken, is an amulet which belongs to the 
viscount, and by which he sets great store. Of course, 
gentlemen, I am a poor, uneducated servant and know 
nothing about such matters; but I am certain that 
this cross is the handiwork of the devil, or some of his 
familiars.” 

The other two again laughed loudly, apparently at 
Pierre’s credulity.* 

“Well, gentlemen, you may laugh, but, I can assure 
you, that the one who possesses that cross controls 
something for good or evil, against which ordinary 
human beings could do very little.” 

“Well, well,” again interrupted Claude Yardie, 
“ after all, what has the cross to do with the matter ? 
Suppose it does possess the properties yow attribute to 
it and forty more. If the viscount has got it, what 
difference can that make to me, or to Madam 
Yardie? ” 

“That is precisely what is the matter?” said Pierre; 
“ the viscount has not got it.” 

“ Ah ! ” observed Claude. 

“Well, you see, gentlemen, when Madam Yardie 
came out of the library on that night, leaning on the 
viscount’s arm, and looking rather more like a walking 
corpse than a beautiful, live woman, I saw about her 
neck the chain to which, I know, the cross was 
attached.” 


130 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Claude moved his seat closer to Pierre, and his face 
assumed an expression of deep interest. He began to 
see dimly the point toward which the valet’s remarks 
were tending. 

Pierre continued: “To put the matter in a few 
words, gentlemen, and without going further into de- 
tail as to what I know or what I suspect, permit me 
to say this: that I believe Madam Yardie has been 
induced to take charge of some interest of the vis- 
count’s in Paris, and has been provided by him with 
this amulet, which he believes — we will not say whether 
justly or foolishly — will not only serve as a protection 
to her, but will forward her, and therefore his enter- 
prise, whatever that may be. ” 

“Yes, yes,” said Claude eagerly, “and what then?” 

“ Just this, ” continued Pierre slowly. “Whether 
there be any real merit or power in the cross or not, 
it is sufficient for my argument to know that the vis- 
count believes there is such ; therefore, being deprived 
of the amulet, he is in consequence weakened, and 
might readily fall a prey to one who saw fit to oppose 
him or who was, for any reason, his enemy.” 

Claude glanced at his friend, but said nothing for a 
moment. 

“But I am not his enemy,” he observed, after a 
little ; “ at least, not to the extent to put myself out 
to injure him.” 

“ Ho, I suppose not,” said Pierre, and now every 
Avord that fell from his lips was uttered Avith a metallic 
clearness and a peculiar individuality of sound, which 
made his speech exceedingly impressive. “ But there 
are other reasons Avhich might render it of adA’^antage 
to any one who was not particularly his friend, to 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


131 


make use of the present condition of the viscount — his 
doubts and fears— to injure him.” 

“ And those reasons are ? ” asked Claude ; and in his 
apparent eagerness for a reply, he rose from his seat 
and came close to where Pierre was sitting, while his 
friend, leaning forward, waited no less anxiously for a 
response to this question. 

“Those reasons are,” replied Pierre, “first, that the 
viscount is in the possession of large suras of money 
which prudent management might divert to the use of 
others ; second, that he is himself no friend to Mon- 
sieur Claude Vardie, and will doubtless, on the return 
of madam, employ such inlluence as he may possess 
over her to the detriment of that gentleman.” 

A muttered Saore! ” issued from the lips of young 
Yardie. 

“ And the third reason,” said Victor, who was closely 
Avatching the countenance of the valet, “ is that a cer- 
tain Pierre hates his master so devotedly that he 
Avould leave no stone unturned to harm him.” 

Pierre started and froAvned. Then his face relaxed 
again, he smiled, and said : “ Well, gentlemen, suppose 
that such be the case, is not possibly the third reason 
the strongest of them all ? ”’ 

“ Truly, I am inclined to think so,” observed Claude ; 
then, laying his hand on the shoulder of the valet, he 
said to him sternly : “ All that you have said to-night 
is true ? ” 

“ Every Avord.” 

“You say the Auscount is rich ; but you probably 
mean that he is rich in his estates at home.” 

“frothing of the kind,” said Pierre, “although 
that is true also; Avhat I mean is that, however he 


132 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


has got it, he has to-day ten, twenty, a hundred times 
as much money as he had when he came to America.” 

“ Perhaps the cross gained it for him ? ” sneered 
Victor. 

To this Pierre made no answer, but his face flushed 
a little. Without regarding Claude’s friend, he con- 
tinued, addressing the former : 

‘‘ To prove to you, sir, that I do know sofnething to 
a certainty, I will say that you yourself are financially 
in a different condition from my master ; that you 
have lost and are constantly losing large sums at play, 
in betting and by various other kinds of extrava- 
gance ; that you are at present involved to an extent 
which, while you endeavor to bear it as bravely as 
possible, in fact, almost paralyzes your very existence ; 
that you are in momentary expectation of an explosion 
which will prove your ruin ” 

“There, there, say no more ; I don’t care to discuss 
or hear comments upon my private affairs. I believe, 
however, all that you have said about your master, 
all except the supernatural part ; as to that, I have 
nothing to say. Supposing now, tliat I should make 
use of any of the information which you have afforded 
me, what advantage would you expect from the 
result?” 

“I assure you, sir,” said Pierre, “that, as for me, 
you need not trouble yourself in the least. It would 
be very foolish for me to try. to make you believe that 
I did not expect some advantage, either in the way 
of a reward, the gratified desire for vengeance, or in 
some other way ; but whether I obtain such or not, 
it shall cost you nothing, and you need never know 
anything with regard to it. There is no need for any 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


133 


further mention of personages, but I will advise, and 
for the best of reasons, that whatever is to be done, 
should be commenced immediately. Continued in 
the manner which is absolutely necessary for success, 
it would take time; and if the result be not gained 
before Madam Yardie returns to America, the entire 
attempt will have been fruitless.” 

The three now rose and a few words, spoken in a 
low tone, concluded the conversation. They resumed 
their outer garments and umbrellas, and left the 
office and the yard together; Claude saying in re- 
sponse to a question asked by Yictor as to where the 
old man was, who was in charge : 

“ Oh, he is mousing about somewhere ; he will hear 
us going out, and will take care of his old menagerie.” 

The outer door of the office was closed, and that in 
the large gate opening from the yard into the street 
was heard clanging loudly as the three conspirators 
passed through it. 

Then a sliding gate, situated immediately behind 
the seat which Claude Yardie had occupied during 
this lengthy interview, moved slowly on its rollers to 
admit the form of Michael Shanahan. The Irishman 
looked about him for a moment, holding a lantern, 
which, carried in his hand above his head, added its 
light to that still ' burning in the office. Then he 
slowly and softly entered, closing the sliding door 
behind him. 

A close observer would have seen, his attention now 
being directed to this door, that just about the height 
of a man’s head from the floor there was a small 
aperture. Possibly it might have occurred to such a 
one that a person desiring so to do, could have been 


134 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


made acquainted with all that had been said during 
the last hour, without being himself discovered. 

As the Irishman entered the office, he placed his 
lantern upon the shelf, opened the outer door, and 
proceeded to that in the main gate, which he also 
opened, to allow of his looking up and down the street 
for a moment; having done this, he closed and 
fastened both doors. 

Not until then, when he was quite certain that he 
was alone in the office, did he make any remark or 
show any sign of what was passing in his mind. 

“ The three divils,” said he, in a hoarse whisper, 
talking to himself ; “ did iver one hear the loike ? ’Tis 
not the half nor the quarter ovit I cudondherstand ony 
way ; but it manes business, or I am no judge, and 
rascality on the top o’ that; and I may be run 
through the divil’s coal-scrane, av I don’t put a shpoke 
in where thim villains laist exshpect it.” 

And with this muttered expression of his determina- 
tion, the Irishman retired to his inner sanctum, and 
presently the yard was given over to silence, and the 
spirits which, mayhap, haunted it. 


CHAPTER XIY. 

“the stars in their courses fought against sisera.” 

The statement made by Pierre concerning Madam 
Yardie’s recent departure for Europe was in every 
particular correct. From the day of the viscount’s 
party madam’s manner and condition had been such 
as to excite the apprehension of her husband and 
friends. 

While she performed properly all the duties which 


THE MALACHITE C 11088. 


135 


devolved upon her as the head of an establishment, 
these were done with an entire lack of vitality and a 
want of interest which could not but be alarming. 

Her state was in fact such, that Gabriel Yardie felt 
constrained to obtain the best of medical advice, and 
accordingly called in, one after another, several 
eminent physicians and surgeons, and consulted them 
at length concerning the situation of the unhappy 
lady. 

Various opinions were offered by these distinguished 
professional gentleman, but they all agreed upon only 
two points. First, that it was not a case for any 
medicine known to practice or the pharmacopoea ; 
second, that it required change of scene and foreign 
travel to restore madam’s constitution to its normal 
condition. 

Naturally De Yalmy, as a friend of the family, was 
consulted frequently by Monsieur Yardie, who was 
heart-broken at the situation in which he found his 
wife, and could hardly, indeed, conduct his business 
with a due regard to his large interests. When the 
merchant found that the advice of his friend and of 
the eminent gentlemen, whom he consulted, agreed as 
to the necessity for a voyage, he at once reconciled his 
business with this requirement, and made speedy ])rep- 
arations for a trip to Europe, where, especially in 
Paris, he proposed to himself to consult the most 
eminent surgeons. 

Accordingly, everything necessary was hurried for- 
ward with this view, and at the time set, husband 
and wife took their departure on board one of the 
steamers, then as now, plying between New York and 
Liverpool. 


136 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


De Valiny saw his friends depart, and returned to 
the isolation of his bachelor home — an isolation ren- 
dered now doubly gloomy, notwithstanding his many 
acquaintances, by the separation from the only ones 
whom he could term friends, and particularly from her 
whose personality had become so merged in his own, 
and thoughts of whom absorbed so much of his atten- 
tion, notwithstanding all his efforts to the contrar}^ 

For several days he inclined rather to confine himself 
to his house. He was not feeling in perfect health, 
nor in good spirits. But as in neither of these con- 
ditions did he find that this course improved, he began, 
at length, to go about and visit among those whose 
acquaintance he had made through the introduction 
afforded him in society by the Yardies. 

But now, to his surprise, De Yalmy experienced a 
growing alteration in the manner of those even who 
had been most assiduous in their attentions to him 
previously, and whose voluntary professions of friend- 
ship had encouraged him to warmer confidence in his 
kind than it was his habit to feel. He met, in fact, 
almost with rebuffs in his attempts to cultivate society. 
These amounted in instances, to exclusion from the 
residences of some with whom he had been, before the 
departure of Monsieur and Madam Yardie for Europe, 
upon intimate terms. 

It began to seem to him that some strange influence 
was in action against him, poisoning the minds of those 
with whom he desired to associate, against him, and 
ultimately to that extent that he was forced to with- 
draw almost wholly from that society in which he 
would have liked to forget himself for the time being 
— and that, too, without having any other immediate 
resource. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


137 


It was at this time, when the viscount’s mind was 
troubled, not only with considerations provoked by 
the change in his social position, but also by psycho- 
logical disturbances occurring constantly about him, of 
a character even more serious than ever before — it was 
at this time that Claude Yardie presented himself 
before De Yalmy in the light of a friend. 

Assuming, with a grace of which the viscount had 
not supposed him capable, that their relations had never 
been other than intimate and pleasant, Claude pro- 
ceeded to make himself valuable, and even necessary to 
De Yalmy ’s comfort, and — so far as that element of life 
entered into his scheme — his happiness. Admitting, 
what he could not very well deny, the fact that for 
some unaccountable reason, the viscount was actually 
taboo among the elite of New York fashionable 
society, Claude treated this as a not uncommon occur- 
rence on this side of the water. 

“ These Americans are a very fickle people,” he 
would say; “they erect a god to-day and demolish 
him to-morrow ; it is a new country and changes 
occur with a rapidity utterly foreign to our conserva- 
tive European idea. Don’t distress yourself, I beg, 
my dear De Yalmy, at an occurrence which the experi- 
ence of all your aristocratic compatriots in this 
country could duplicate. In the meantime, if the 
doors of one class of society are closed to you, let me 
show you that there are other orders, possibly not so 
elevated according to our standard, but infinitely 
more amusing, which will gladly welcome you. The 
creme de la creme is very much ^vatered hereabouts, 
and not unfrequently even becomes acidulated in its 
transmigration across the Atlantic, while the natives 
are mere copies of a poor original.” 


138 


THE MALACHITE CliOSS. 


Thus, partly by argument and partly by witty 
sallies the young Frenchman succeeded in imposing 
upon the credulit}" of his countryman, notwithstanding 
the larger experience and greater richness in natural 
gifts of the other. 

De Yalmy suffered hinself to be hoodwinked into 
the belief which Claude desired to inculcate ; and, as 
he found, on being introduced into these other social 
ranks, concerning which his new friend had spoken, 
that they offered, as had been assured him, a more 
promising field of amusement and entertainment, he 
soon forgot his chagrin and disappointment, and even 
began to feel an enjoyment and interest, at first 
assumed, in the wild life into which he now found 
himself drawn, as into a whirlpool — for his new 
associates were, as Claude had intimated, of a class 
far beneath him in social standing. 

In all his life experience, De Yalmy had hitherto 
kept aloof from those two plague spots of society, 
the demimonde and the gambling fraternity. It was 
indeed with some repugnance that he entered into 
these new phases of existence. 

But driven by the nature of the occasion Avhich 
made his present mental condition fall little short of 
madness, he assimilated with those elements to a 
degree, and with a facility which he would not have 
hitherto believed possible. 

The situation of Marguerite Eemy had become to 
him a persistent nightmare. Night itself grew to him 
to be a living horror. Its coming was a constant 
dread to him. If circumstances forced him to remain 
within the solitary chambers of his ill-omened 
dwelling, he was perplexed by an infinity of painful 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


189 


emotions, and forced to submit to a mental strain 
beneath which his reason seemed often on the point 
of tottering. 

Never before had the controlling and all pervading 
power of the Malachite Cross seemed to him so potent. 
It appeared to him that his only anchorage had turned 
to quicksand beneath him. 

Portentous scenes nightly accumulated about him, 
driving nearly to distraction a mind little accustomed 
to assume trouble or pain to itself on any occasion. 
To elude the dismal and terrifying phantoms which 
pursued him on such occasions, it became to him a 
positive delight to enter with Claude Yardie into every 
species of extravagant action and mad debaucheiy. 

There was, too, a novelty in this course, which 
added a special zest to the following of it ; so that De 
Yalmy at last hailed with delight the arrival of Claude 
and his friend Yictor, and the promised dissipation of 
these painful reflections and the still more agonizing, 
if even less tangible psychological occurrences which 
so disturbed him. 

Now, certainly, the new existence upon which De 
Yalmy had entered, could not but make serious inroads 
upon his financial condition ; and as to this, it is only 
necessary to observe here, that the promise of the 
Malachite Cross, so long as it had been in his posses- 
sion, had been fulfilled to the very letter. 

The old parchment record, in the Persian tongue, 
had conveyed these words to him out of the dead cen- 
turies : 

“ To him who holds and wears the Cross of Mala- 
chite, are power and influence, so long as he shall wear 
it. Each power and influence responds to properties 


140 


THE MALACHITE CBOSS. 


within this stone. Its possessor holds, as with a ffrasp 
of iron, the hearts of those whom he so wills to nold. 
Fortune will cling to him, and gold fly to his coffers. 
By love and hate, and every principle that actuates 
men’s hearts, he wields a potent force. This while he 
holds the cross.” 

He had read this writing many times since he had 
given up the cross. He knew now, that in surrendering 
that, even for a time, he had risked all he possessed, 
all that he might hope to gain ; while indeed, the full 
extent of possible disaster resulting from that act his 
mind refused to contemplate. 

Daily he saw his resources being dissipated, and 
almost with no hope of restoring them. He had 
written to his father and to his bankers in Paris ; but 
the time passed when he should have heard from 
these, and no response came from them. 

Had De Yalmy been aware of the network of con- 
spiracy with which he was surrounded, he would have 
known that those letters never reached their destina- 
tion. Sent through the hands of Pierre they were in- 
continently suppressed in the interests which that 
wily servitor had most at heart. 

In fact, it was a terribly uneven fight. 

Had De Yalmy been aware who his enemies were, 
or had he even known that he was being antagonized 
by any enemies whatsoever — his position would have 
been comparatively strong. But opposed by foes from 
without— and at least one deadly foe from within — and 
completely ignorant of the machinations of these con- 
spirators, he was at once disarmed and unshielded. 

Placing more confidence even than heretofore in 
Pierre — as in fact the only tie connecting his present 


THE MALAGIUTE CROSS. 


141 


life with his past — De Yalmy exposed his weakest 
points constantly to the onslaught of an utterly merci- 
less antagonist. 

And, in the meantime, Claude Yardie and Yictor 
Eosny — for the latter entered heart and soul into the 
present cabal — derived a species of pleasure from the 
excitement of the occasion, and apart from the tangible 
successes which accrued to them. 

There was, in fact — and particularly with regard to 
Claude — a species of intoxication in the act of bringing 
about the financial ruin and social destruction of a man 
like De Yalmy. This sentiment doubtless sprung from 
the same order of idiosyncrasy which distinguishes the 
ardent angler ; and the course which had at first been 
entered into from purely pecuniary considerations, grew 
gradually to assume the characteristics which one may 
find set down in that old picture of Satan playing a 
game of chess for a man’s soul. 

And while there were these several different incen- 
tives to the line of conduct which was now beino^ 
pursued by young Yardie, with relation to De Yalmy, 
there was also ready to his hand a complete armament 
of weapons. 

De Yalmy, like many another man, possessed 
strong passions, lying dormant — besides those which 
more openly actuated his life — and the one which 
developed most rapidly under the fostering influ- 
ence of his friends, was that of gaming; and to 
that extent, that it was not long before the whole 
heart and soul of the young nobleman seemed to 
become absorbed in this pursuit. 

It need hardly be said, that in pandering to this new 
desire of the viscount’s, Yardie Avas not in the least 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


in 

particular as to the legitimacy of his operations or of 
his manner of achieving the desired result. So it came 
to pass that all the fraudulent schemes known to the 
card-table and the dice-box were put into operation, 
tor the purpose of completing De Yalmy’s ruin. 

And not only this. 

Somehow — possibly through the intervention of 
Pierre — it came to the knowledge, or at least the 
suspicion of Claude Yardie, that the peculiar condition 
of Madam Yardie, which had brought about the neces- 
sity for her departure for Europe, was the result of 
some influence exercised by the Yiscount de Yalmy. 

The precise nature of this influence Avas not made 
known ; but rumors concerning it began to float about 
in the society in Avhich the unfortunate lady had 
moved. 

These finally localized in a conclusion that De 
Yalmy had been enabled to act upon her sensitive 
nervous organization through the medium of animal 
magnetism — or, as it was generally termed, mesmerism. 

No such rumors as these ever reached the ears of 
the viscount himself, however ; but their spread in 
connection Avith others of a still more damaging 
character, Avas so ingeniously effected, as to heighten 
and extend the inimical feelings Avhich now completely 
pervaded the community. 

It was asserted in circles — asserted in whispers, and 
listened to with pallid lips — that on the occasion of 
the viscount’s ‘‘ house-\\wming,” Madam Yardie had 
actually been throAvn into a mesmeric condition ; and 
that unable to restore her to her natural state, the 
viscount had gladly availed himself of the first medical 
suggestion^ to the effect that she should travel, with 
the hope of restoration to health. 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


143 


Here was a bonne houche of suspicion, hich was 
delightfully swallowed by the good people of New 
York fashionable society of that day. 

And the best of it was, it could only remain f'uspicion 
for a considerable time to come. In fact, until Gabriel 
Yardie could be heard from in reference to the im- 
provement of his wife’s health, or the reverse. 

The delights attached to the element of suspicion 
in the judicious management of scandal, will be 
readily appreciated, both by those who have ever in- 
dulged in the pastime, and those who have been unhappy 
sufferers therefrom. 

When to these delights was added the fact that the 
nature of these accusations far transcended not only in 
horror, but in novelty and originality of conception, 
all the ordinary scandals of society, one may easily 
imagine the state of excitement of those who intere^sted 
themselves in its progress. 

And now, we will leave De Yalmy for a time, to 
follow the fortunes of her to whom had been in- 
trusted by him the guardianship of the Mala^^hf^e 
Cross. 


CHAPTEE XY. 

WHEREIN THE CROSS USURPS THE CROWN. 

The suspicion engendered in the minds of her New' 
York friends with regard to Madam Yardie, was, as 
is usually the case with this class of suspicion, half 
right, and half wrong. 

That De Yalmy had succeeded by an effort of his 
will, aided by the powerful influence of the Malachite 
Cross — and without any of the ordinary methods used in 


144 


THE MALACUITE CROSS. 


magnetic manipulations — in throwing Madam Yardie 
into that abnormal nervous condition, termed “mes- 
meric sleep ” was perfectly true. 

This was the correct half of the suspicion. 

That he was unable to restore her to her natural 
condition was the inaccurate remainder. 

Thousands of experiments in animal magnetism, 
made in different parts of the world, for a hundred 
years, had displayed a vast variety of phenomena ap- 
pertaining to this curious occult science. 

Persons had been mesmerized with contact and 
Avithout ; by passes, througli the mediumship of a 
metallic Avand, and b}^ an effort of the Avill ; in im- 
mediate contiguity and at remote distance from the 
operator. Under the condition imposed on subjects 
by this practice, there had occurred extraordinary, and 
in many cases, seemingly miraculous results. In India, 
the subtle fluid, Avhich, as was alleged, Avas the medium 
by Avhose means the operator Avas enabled to act upon 
the subject, had been employed as an anaBsthetic agent 
— and, Avhile under its influence, patients had been 
operated upon surgically Avith complete success. In 
certain cases, it was declared, that mesmeric subjects, 
or “sensitives” as they were termed, had become en- 
doAved Avith clairvoyant poAvers, by Avhose means the 
accurate foretelling of events had become accomplished. 
Finally it Avas asserted, in some quarters, that the Avell- 
known East Indian experiment of burial for a length- 
ened period — six months in some instances — Avas con- 
ducted by means of self-magnetism. 

But although all this had happened on various 
occasions — as had been clearly demonstrated on the 
testimony of credible eye and ear witnesses, there 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


145 


exists no record that, prior to the period to which we 
are referring there had ever been a case similar to 
that of Madam Yardie. 

For, in this instance, the subject was first mag- 
netized almost by an instantaneous effort of volition, 
and then despatched, while remaining in a mesmeric 
state, upon an errand of vital importance, in behalf 
of a secret and a most delicate trust, and to accomplish 
a purpose involving difficult, if not dangerous action, 
on the part of the agent. 

From the time when Gabriel Yardie and his wife 
set forth on their voyage across the Atlantic, to that 
when they arrived in England, there occurred no per- 
ceptible alteration in the manner or condition of the 
lady, from those which obtained at the moment when 
De Yalmy had escorted her from the library on the 
night of the “ house-warming.” 

To the outward observer, if a stranger — there was 
nothing perceptible in the behavior or appearance of 
Madam Yardie which signified any special disturb- 
ance of her health. She ate with an appetite, took 
wine at dinner on occasion, slept soundly and peace- 
fully, and awoke calmly, walked the deck with her 
husband, entered into conversation with whoever spoke 
to her, talking sensibly and collectedly, and, in every 
particular save two, seemed like the rest of her sex. 
The two particulars in which she differed from the 
rest of her sex, were, first, that she never smiled or 
laughed ; and second, that she never spoke unless on 
being first spoken to. These two peculiarities were 
almost immediately noticed by the husband, but passed 
without comment so far as the other passengers on 
board the steamship were concerned. 


146 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


A more subtle observer than any of these would 
probably, after careful examination and considera- 
tion of her case, have reached the conclusion that there 
was one other idiosyncrasy presented in the remark- 
able case of Madam Yardie. 

It would have seemed to such a one that she never 
thought. 

Except when in conversation, her appearance never 
indicated that her mind received any impression what- 
ever, either from passing events or even under the 
influence of her memory. 

And such a conclusion, on the part of a close observer, 
would have been an exact and accurate one. So far 
as her reasoning faculties were concerned, Madam 
Yardie’s mind was now a total blank. Impressions 
were made on her brain, it is true ; but unless stimulated 
by direct questioning, they were transient and ephem- 
eral. She cannot be said to have been even a mono- 
maniac. Although engrossed by a certain fixed motive, 
it was a motive in which she had no part. Her indi- 
vidual functions were, in fact, absorbed by another 
personality. 

She was possessed. 

Immediately after arriving in London, Gabriel 
Yardie made haste to take his wife to Paris — being 
rendered more than ever anxious with regard to her, 
from those changes which his affection and his ex- 
perienced eye had detected, and which now greatly 
disquieted him, Influenced by the same reasons, he 
had no sooner reached Paris, than, after establishing 
his wife in comfortable, and even luxuriant quarters — 
as became a man of his wealth and condition— and 
without even delaying to communicate with his busi- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


147 


ness agents, M. Vardie hastened to call upon the sur- 
geon who then stood at the head of his profession in 
France, and to whom the unhappy husband had been 
specially directed. 

On setting forth upon this errand, Gabriel Vardie 
had left his wife in the company of her maid, with the 
assurance that he would return almost immediately ; and 
in accordance with this promise, he so hastened his 
movements — and even so influenced those of the dis- 
tinguished surgeon — that the carriage containing both 
these gentlemen drew up at the door of Madam 
Yardie’s temporary home in Paris within an hour after 
her husband had left her. 

But on entering the apartment wherein he had left 
his wife and her maid, Gabriel Vardie found — to his 
surprise and annoyance, that his wife had gone out, as 
her maid said, “ to meet her husband, and accompany 
him on his return from the surgeon.” 


It was the evening of the day whose events we have 
just been regarding. 

The sun was near its setting ; but although lessened 
in power, there was still enough of force and effect in 
its radiance to pierce between the houses which lined 
the narrow Eue des Juives, and even to irradiate with 
something of its warmth, and something of its waning 
effulgence the gloomful and shadowy apartment, 
where sat, poring over some ancient black-letter tome, 
he whom we have known as Father Gronevitch. 

The lingering sunlight, falling upon his aged head, 
displayed his countenance, as calm and placid in its 
appearance as though no more serious pursuit than 
that of study had ever disturbed hini. 


148 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


He sat reading intently ; ever and anon, turning to 
consult an astrolabe which stood near him on an ebony 
table, while he recorded the impressions which he had 
received from time to time in diagrams and geometrical 
figures upon a scroll before him. 

The place in which the old man sat was a bay- 
window, in the apartment in which occurred the 
interview between the necromancer and the Yiscount 
de Yalmy, related in the beginning of this story. 

This bay-window formed a spacious alcove opening 
into the main room, in which there still remained all 
of Father Gronevitch’s horrible collection of living 
and dead creatures — and from which it was separated 
by heavy curtains, formed of some eastern fabric. 

The musical ring of a bell was heard ; and Father 
Gronevitch rose from his seat, thrust aside the curtains, 
and entered the main apartment. As he did so, the 
door at the end of the room opened, and a servant 
presented himself. This was a man in oriental garb, 
and evidently of some tribe of African origin. He 
did not speak, but with his two hands made certain 
signs, which being understood by Father Gronevitch, 
were responded to in the same manner, and the 
servant left the room, closing the door softly after 
him. 

Father Gronevitch remained standing precisely in 
the same position— until the door re-opened — this* 
time to admit a lady, tall, graceful and elegantly 
appareled. 

This was Madam Yardie. 

Father Gronevitch regarded her, as it were, 
curiously. 

For a moment he appeared doubtful and perturbed. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


149 


Approaching him, she spoke : 

“There is at present confined in the Conciergerie a 
young girl, Marguerite Remy by name, who rests 
under the imputation of a crime of which she is 
innocent — but for which she is condemned to death.” 

As she paused for a moment. Father Gronevitch 
pointed to a chair, and said : “Will you be seated ? ” 

Madam Yardie bowed her head slightly, but 
remained standing. 

In the meantime from their various lairs, the hideous 
animals, birds and reptiles indicated their presence by 
the cries and movements peculiar to each. 

There was not wanting the stealthy movement of 
the fangless snake. There was not wanting every 
element of the horrible in the apartment, which it 
had presented to the gaze of the Viscount de Yalmy 
on the occasion heretofore described — no element, 
save that these creatures now moved and uttered their 
various cries, each from his own volition, and without 
interference on the part of the necromancer. 

And this feature, if anything, made the scene more 
terrible than it would have otherwise been. For 
whereas, in the one case there was present the demon- 
stration of a power beyond that of any or all of these 
destructive creatures, in the present instance, and 
inasmuch as they seemed uncontrolled, and disposed 
themselves each according to his own desire, the effect 
was beyond measure terrifying. But for any 
impression which these produced upon Madam 
Yardie, she might have been a marble statue, so 
utterly regardless and even ignorant of her surround- 
ings did she seem ; and yet this ignorance was of the 
spirit and not of the senses. 


150 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


These latter saw, heard and appreciated one and 
all of those presences so antagonistic to humanity. 
Father Gronevitch watched her closely, noted every 
movement, and looked in vain for any tremor or any 
change of color or other sign which should denote 
fear or perturbation. 

Looked in vain, and was himself disturbed. In his 
experience this was a new and confusing apparition. 

“It is necessary,” were the next words which fell 
from the lips of Madam Yardie, “ that this young 
girl should be saved. To accomplish that end, I am 
directed to procure your intervention — ^your guidance ; 
and by your aid, she and I must leave Paris for a 
seaport, thence to proceed to America.” 

Father Gronevitch started, and appeared about to 
speak, but raising her right hand with a warning 
gesture. Madam Yardie continued : 

“ My husband is at present awaiting me, and will 
shortly become alarmed at my absence. I must re- 
turn to him. When you are ready, you will com- 
municate with me at the address which I shall give 
you. I place this undertaking in your charge.” 

With these words Madam Yardie became silent, 
standing in perfect calmness and repose, gazing into 
the face of Father Gronevitch but without the least 
expression of appeal, anxiety, doubt or any other 
emotion visible in her countenance. 

For a moment the necromancer did not speak, but 
appeared to be collecting his thoughts after some 
serious mental disturbance. 

Then he said : “ By what right and on what author- 
ity do you demand this of me ? ” 

With a motion as simple, unaffected and deliberate 


TEE MALAUEITB CBOSS. 


151 


as though she were consulting her watch, she placed 
one hand in her bosom, and drawing therefrom the 
Malachite Cross, held it before him. 

Its effect upon the old man was appalling. 

Staggering backward a few steps, with his hands 
before his face as though to repel the very sight of 
the amulet, he cried out : “ Not thus, not thus, was it 
to come to me — nor ever again was I to be subject to 
its accursed behests.” 

She said nothing, but stood there as though in the 
semblance of an avenging angel, and still held the cross, 
pointing heavenward. 

Recovering himself with a mighty effort, the nec- 
romancer folded his arms across his breast, and said : 
“ My time has not yet come ; for this once more will I 
obey.” As he said these words, she replaced the cross 
in her bosom and remained apparently waiting. 

Again requesting her to be seated — an injunction to 
which however, she did not pay the slightest attention 
— Father Gronevitch excused himself and left the 
room. In a few moments he returned, dressed in 
walking costume. Repairing to a table which stood 
in front of the dreplace, he touched a bell. The same 
servant re-entered, to whom the necromancer com- 
municated sometning by signs. Then, and while the 
former held open the door which gave exit from the 
apartment. Madam V^ardie, followed by Father 
Gronevitch, left the room, proceeded along the pas- 
sages and down the stairs, and so into the street. 

At the door of the necromancer’s dwelling a fiacre 
stood waiting. Father Gronevitch assisted Madam 
Yardie to enter it, received from her hands a card 
containing her address, and the carriage departed. 


152 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Father Gronevitch then walked with hasty steps up 
the Eue des Juives, turned the corner, and was presently 
lost in the crowd. 

Hadam Yardie, reached her lodgings a few mo- 
ments after her husband, and found him waiting for 
her in the company of the surgeon. 

She excused her dilatory arrival, and a careful analy- 
sis of her case was at once begun by the medical 
gentleman in question, while her husband sat by, and 
listened in painful suspense, occasionally aiding the 
examination by a few carefully chosen words in evi- 
dence of the condition of his wife. 


CHAPTER XYL 

THE VISION SEEN IN THE PRISON OF THE CONCIERGERIE. 

The examination of Madam Yardie by the distin- 
guished French surgeon resulted in leaving that 
eminent practitioner in a very dubious and rather 
uncomfortable frame of mind as regarded the nature 
of the case and the probable fate of the patient. 

For the French surgeon had a reputation to sustain, 
and could ill afford to be baffled by any pathological 
condition whatsoever; and the condition of Madam 
Yardie, as displayed after the application of all the 
tests known to the profession at this time, appeared 
to be one which quite eluded explanation, and the 
examination of which resulted in almost no clear con- 
ception of its nature. 

As to bodily health. Madam Yardie was a paragon. 

The disturbance presented itself as almost purely 
mental — and which— without offering a state of alien- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


153 


ation either absolute or conditional — exhibited an 
attitude so abnormal and so inexplicable, as to put at 
defiance all the ordinary rules concerning morbid 
conditions of the brain or nerves pr other possible 
mental perturbation. 

The immediate result' of the surgeon’s judgment in 
the matter, was a decision that time ^vould be required 
to admit of constant daily observation of the case, 
before a cure could be even attempted. 

Under these circumstances, Gabriel Yardie made 
his arrangements to remain in Paris at least for some 
weeks, and confided these to his wife. 

Madam Yardie received the intelligence in the 
utterly unimpressionable manner which characterized 
her at this time ; and the days passed for her very 
much as they had on shipboard, without the display of 
any interest on her part in anything. 

The days passed and merged themselves into weeks, 
and still she was under the care of the surgeon, and 
now of certain of his confreres.) whom he had deemed 
it necessary to call into consultation with him. 

Kot only outwardly did she display no uneasiness or 
haste as to the final result of her important errand in 
Paris, but we, who are able psychologically to study 
her impressions and sentiments at all times, can state 
also that she experienced no feeling with regard to 
this errand either one way or another. 

So completely was she absorbed by the one idea, 
that even the idea itself failed to affect or infiuence 
either her movements or her lucubrations. She had 
become the temporary embodiment of one phase of 
Honore de Yalmy’s will. 

She had lost her identity. 


154 


THE MALACHITE CR0S8. 


It was not until the sixteenth of October, nearly a 
month after her arrival in Paris, that any change 
occurred concerning the immediate events and per- 
sonages, whom we are now considering. 


October 17th was the day adjudged for the execu- 
tion of Marguerite Kemy for the crime of which she 
had been convicted. 

Of late, Marguerite’s health had somewhat failed 
under the nervous strain, consequent partly upon her 
imprisonment, and partly due to the fact that her mind 
was, by this time, wrought up to a high pitch of ex- 
citement by the contemplation of the evil which was 
approaching her, and which threatened to affect her 
sanity — even as it had already affected her physical 
health. 

It was the evening of the last day of her allotted 
period of life. 

As had been her custom of late, she had received 
the ghostly ministrations of the priest — who had been 
deputed for this office in her case — and was sitting 
upon her couch, dimly seeking to record the impres- 
sions which his visitation had afforded her, and to 
glean, from these, some little hope for the hereafter — 
since here, all hope was now denied her. 

While thus sitting, and striving to devote her way- 
ward thoughts to religious reflections, the door of her 
cell was opened — with the usual noisy accompaniment 
of the heavy key turning in the rusty lock. So little 
did the girl now regard the things of this life, that she 
did not even raise her head at the sound, and the door 
closed again. 


mm MALACHITE CROSS. 


155 


What had happened, was this : 

The jailer, sitting, as was his custom, on a rude 
bench beneath a flaring light, at the extreme end of 
the corridor from which Marguerite’s cell opened, 
had been disturbed in his occupation of reading some 
highly flavored and romantic novel of the day by the 
appearance of two visitors. 

One of these the jailer recognized, from having once 
before admitted him to Marguerite’s cell. 

It was Father Gronevitch. 

The other was a woman, clad in some dark garment, 
which completely covered her form, and heavily 
veiled. 

At a later period, when it became necessary for the 
jailer to remember closely and accurately the charac- 
teristics of these two visitors, this was all he could re- 
member concerning the female. He could not describe 
her height, he did not see her face; all that he 
observed was a female flgure, attired as has been 
described. 

Father Gronevitch had presented for his examina- 
tion a written order, which, on reading, the jailer 
found to be a peremptor}^ direction at the hand of the 
highest authority having power in this matter, to per- 
mit the passage of the bearer and female friend to see 
Marguerite Kemy, confined for murder, and to be 
executed on the following day. 

With this order, the two had already passed the 
outer gates and the scrutiny of the officials there in 
charge. 

The jailer had no option but to follow the example 
thus afforded him. lie accordingly opened the door 
of Marguerite’s cell, to give ingress to the two appli- 


156 


THE MALACHITE CR0>^8. 


cants, and closed it behind them, locking it also, as 
was the rule. 

All of this — when the legal inquest was held on the 
extraordinary events which occurred in the prison at 
this time — was duly testified to under oath by the 
jailer. 

Yet, when Marguerite Kemy raised her eyes and 
became aware of what followed the closing of the door 
of the cell, she saw there present Father Gronevitch 
— but the necromancer was alone. On seeing the too- 
well-remembered form and face of her former visitor, 
Marguerite rose to her feet, tottering, however, partly 
from physical disability and partly from the mingled 
sensations of fear and horror, which could not but 
overcome her when she again beheld one, who ap- 
peared to her in the light of an enemy. 

The old man put forth his hand to assist her, as she 
stood tremblingly before him, but, with a gesture al- 
most of affright, she waved him off. 

‘‘ Oh, sir,” she cried, “ wlw do you come here on 
this my last day of life, again to torture me ? 
Have I not already sufficiently answered you ? Surely 
you cannot think that, having proceeded thus far, I 
will retrace my steps because of any words of yours ? ” 
I come with no such purpose,” answered the deep 
tones of the voice of Father Gronevitch ; “ I respect 
your sentiments, and now even approve them. I come 
not now to tempt you, but to save you.” 

Marguerite started, clasped her hands, and leaned 
eagerly forward, gazing into his face. 

“ To save me ! ” she said, with doubt and disbelief 
evident in her tone ; “ that is beyond mortal power.” 

‘‘ Then we will summon the power of the immortals 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


157 


— for saved you must be, and now. Listen,” continued 
Father Gronevitch, “ the way is open to you ; friends 
whom you do not even know are awaiting you. In a 
few hours, you will be on your way to a seaport, 
thence to proceed to America.” 

“America?” she said, in a low voice. 

“Yes, to where he whom you love is expecting 
you.” 

“ Oh, God,” she said, “ can this be true ? Has he not 
then deserted me, and is it through him I am to be 
released ? ” 

A contemptuous smile passed over the face of t he 
necromancer, but he answered calmly and dispassion- 
ately : “ It is through him ; I am his accredited 

messenger.” 

“ But how can this be done ? ” she cried eagerly. 
“ No one Avas ever known to escape from this prison.” 

“Your escape is provided for. You have to do 
nothing but follow my directions.” 

“ Oh, I will do all you say — I will do anything to be 
restored again to life — and to him.” 

“Attire yourself, then,” said Father Gronevitch, “in 
those garments” — and he pointed to where there lay on 
the end of the couch, from which Marguerite had just 
risen, certain articles of outside apparel. 

The girl started and stepped back a pace or two. 
Then she looked inquiringly into the face of the necro- 
mancer. 

“ Why sir,” she said, “ how can this be ? But a . 
moment since, there was nothing there — and I own 
nothing like those,” and she stepped nearer and looked 
at them, but always as if fearful of touching them. 

“Time flies. Hasten and throw them about you 


158 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


loosely ; then take my arm, and do not speak until I 
give you permission.” 

She delayed no longer ; but taking the garments one 
by one from the bed, she placed them about her 
person, last of all, by direction of Father Gronevitch, 
lowering the heavy black veil which was among them, 
so as to entirely conceal her countenance. 

Then she took his arm. 

And as she did so, and as if some new vitality ha d 
been infused into her, the tremulousness which had 
hitherto marked her movements ceased to affect her — 
she felt strong and determined. 

Lifting his hand. Father Gronevitch knocked twice 
upon the iron door of the cell. 

In a moment, were heard approaching the steps of 
the jailer, and then the key turned in the lock. With- 
out waiting for his entrance the necromancer pushed 
hurriedly out, having Marguerite still clinging to his 
arm. 

“ Thank you, my son,” he said to the jailer, “ for 
your civility. You will oblige me by not disturbing 
my young friend for a little while, as she is sunk in 
grief at her separation from us.” 

“ I shall not go near her again to-night,” said the 
jailer ; “ she has had her supper, and I have no call to 
visit her before morning.” 

“ It is well,” said Father Gronevitch ; and placing 
a few coins in the hands of the jailer, who bowed 
obsequiously in recognition of the gift, the two fol- 
lowed the official, after he had locked tlie door, down 
the corridor. Beyond this, two officials barred the 
way ; but these, too, on seeing Father Gronevitch, 
accompanied apparently by the same person who had 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


15D 


been with him on his entrance, suffered him to pass 
without question, and unmolested. In a few moments, 
the outer gate of the Conciergerie was unlocked 
before them, and Father Gronevitch and Marguerite 
Remy stood at liberty in the streets of Paris. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 

While the events which we have just chronicled 
had been occurring in Paris, the situation of the 
Viscount de Valmy had grown not only insupportable, 
but precarious. 

And yet, notwithstanding that everything within 
the viscount’s life now seemed black, treacherous and 
disheartening; although the efforts of the three 
conspirators against him — allied also as these had 
become with other birds of prey, who, like carrion 
crows, clustered about him, only because they scented 
their quarry from afar — although this conspiracy, this 
union of inimical forces to one end, had certainly 
proved thus far successful — notwithstanding all this, 
De Valmy ’s cause had been taken up by at least one 
friend. 

But most unfortunately, for any good result, this 
friend was not in a position to force his kind offices 
upon the viscount. 

His humble station, joined with the fact that he 
was opposed by those whose interest lay in the ruin of 
the unfortunate nobleman — quite precluded any very 
favorable conclusion to his efforts, however praise- 
worthy or however energetic and devoted these 
were. 


100 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


For this humble friend was no other than the 
simple-hearted old Irishman, Michael Shanahan, whose 
interest in the viscount — first awakened on the night 
Avhen he overheard the conversation in the little office 
of “ Old Lamson’s Circus ’’ — had become quite a ruling 
force with him, and had urged him to make every 
attempt in his power to see the viscount, and warn 
him against the machinations which he, not unwisely, 
concluded were to result from that conversation. 

In fact, Michael had presented himself shortly after 
the occasion in question, at the house in Fourth street, 
with the purpose already indicated. Here he had 
met his first rebuff ; for his application at the door 
was answered by Pierre in person, whose shrewd 
French judgment discerned at once the probability, at 
least, that the visit of the honest Hibernian boded no 
good to him or to his co-conspirators. 

Keceiving him, however, courteously, and even cor- 
dially, Pierre invited him to enter and partake of a 
glass of wine, the which Michael was nothing loath to 
do, being well assured that there was not sufficient 
haste in the business to require that he should deny 
himself the luxury. Meanwhile, the valet ran no risk 
in admitting him, since the viscount was at that time 
sleeping off profoundly in his bed, the effects of the 
previous night’s debauch. 

But, if Pierre was shrewd, the Irishman was cunning ; 
and no efforts on the part of the former could — aided 
though these were by the administering of copious 
draughts of rare and costly wines — induce Michael to 
afford any information as to his design, in this attempt 
to see He Yalmy. 

The attempt proved a failure, and so did every such 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


161 


other which was made by the Irishman thereafter, 
and there were many. If he watched for the viscount 
to emerge from his dwelling, and even met him, he was 
mistaken for a vagrant, and thrust aside with the gift 
of a piece of silver, usually accompanied by a curse. 
If he attempted to speak to him upon meeting him in 
the public streets, he was received by a threat of 
recourse being had to the police. 

This sort of treatment could not but eventually 
affect the anxiety of any one to perform a good action ; 
and after several such interviews, Michael withdrew 
from the field, discomfited. 

It was not, in fact, written that De Yalmy should, 
at this juncture, receive aid or comfort from any one — 
he must drink the cup of sorrow and bitter reflection 
to the dregs. And that this sorrow became hourly 
more poignant, and those reflections more remorseful 
and terrifying, was an incident in the viscount’s life, 
not the least untoward or even the least unexpected. 

For it was only now that there fell upon him, with 
the full blackness of its possible desolation, the agoniz- 
ing influence of what men term conscience. 

Hitherto, the single gleam of humanity which had 
enlightened his heart had been the sympathizing feel- 
ing which had induced him to put forth the utmost 
of his power to save Marguerite Eemy. Had he 
known what was to be the outcome of this effort, he 
would never have made it. 

But it was only now — and, even now, but dimly — 
that he began to suspect how seriously he had weak- 
ened himself by this action. 

For though it had occurred to him in the beginning 
of his social and financial troubles, that the loss of the 


162 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Malachite Cross might possibly have something to do 
Avith these, this view Avas then only the faint glimmer 
of a suspicion ; Avhereas now it had groAvn to be a com- 
plete conviction, since he could not reconcile it Avith 
his views of life to believe that eA^erything Avould thus 
have gone Avrong Avith him without the interference 
of some antagonistic and inimical influence. 

The series of misfortunes and tribulations Avhich had 
attacked him immediately after Madam Yardie’s de- 
parture for Europe, had not ceased to act against him, 
Avith daily increasing virulence, ever since. 

As for his social position, it had departed from him, 
as it seemed, forever. He AA^as no longer even recog- 
nized by those in the better class of society in HeAv 
York, with Avhom he had been, for a short and happy 
period, an apparent favorite. 

And this irritating fact, Avhich had first caused his 
fall from grace in the matter of association, had re- 
ceived additional strength and impetus by the change 
in his course of life. 

From looking upon him as possibly only tempora- 
rily ostracized, HeAv York society had grown to regard 
him as a social pariah — an outcast from its select 
circles. 

Thrown by this painful situation of affairs into 
society far beneath him ; led into the A\"ay of destruc- 
tive habits, not only pernicious as to his health, but 
ruinous as to his purse; receiving no pecuniary aid 
either from his father or from his Paris bankers, to 
Avhom he had Avritten repeatedly, and in urgent terms, 
desiring aid — at the period Avhich Ave have noAv 
reached. He Yalmy’s situation Avas, as we remarked at 
the opening of this chapter, precarious, For, led con- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


163 


stantly into temptation, not only by the blandishments 
of his new associates, but also driven thereto by the 
increased strength of his new and false appetites, his 
resources at length dwindled utterly away. 

And only a few days before the date at which we 
have arrived — this being about the beginning of Octo- 
ber — De Yalmy had found himself completely penni- 
less ; heavily in debt in all directions for his actual 
subsistence and the sustenance of the establishment 
which he kept up; and still farther embarrassed by 
the weight of gambling engagements which were 
pressing him with terrible pertinacity, and out of which 
he could see no way of escape. 

At that juncture, and when he had discovered that 
his very liberty was endangered by his financial 
position, De Yalmy had recourse to a rash and danger- 
ous act, for his temporary relief. 

A letter had at length reached him from Gabriel 
Yardie, dated in Paris, only a day or two after the 
arrival of the merchant and his wife in that city. 

In this letter, M. Yardie announced his intention to 
return to New York by the latter part of October at 
the farthest. 

Placing his entire dependence upon this statement 
— as the sole hope which he could see for himself in 
the future — De Yalmy, in a moment of recklessness, 
and almost madness, forged an endorsement on a note 
of hand for a large amount, in the name of an acquaint- 
ance, a man of wealth and position in the city, and 
who — for some reason or other — still adhered to him 
with sufficient fidelity to be seen frequently in his 
company, and thus give some color of authority to the 
act. 


164 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Expert at almost everything requiring artistic 
ability or grace of execution, De Yalmy succeeded in 
counterfeiting the signature of his friend with perfect 
success. 

Through the medium of one of the man}^ financial 
gentlemen in the city, to whom he had access, he also 
succeeded in getting the note discounted. 

Applying a large portion of the sum thus obtained 
to the discharge of those engagements which more 
immediately embarrassed him, with a true gambler’s 
fatalism, he determined to devote the remainder to 
recouping, if possible, his losses, by the same process 
through which these had been made. 

At first, however, he was as usual unsuccessful. But 
on the night of the sixteenth of October — the very night 
on which the escape of Marguerite Kemy had been 
effected, through the agency of Father Gronevitch, 
and as though the returning cross, and the two with 
whom his life-issues were so mingled, were bearing 
fruit of promise to the unfortunate viscount — there 
happened a sudden turn in the chances which beset the 
cards, and, almost to his utter astonishment, the vis- 
count found himself winning. 

And nightly, after this, as he sat down with 
those who had so successfully and completely de- 
spoiled him of his wealth, success continued to accom- 
pany him. 

The days and nights of the month rolled rapidly by, 
and at length October departed ; and the first days of 
l^ovember fell upon him. 

The note upon which De Yalmy had forged the 
endorsement fell due on the fourth of this month. It 
was now the night of the third. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


165 


Hitherto the games in which the viscount and his 
friends had engaged had been played at a notorious 
gambling resort, where they were accustomed to gather 
nightly, and to play often until the morning sunlight 
streamed into the windows. 

But on this night, for some reason or other, De 
Yalmy had invited the others to meet him for their 
accustomed pastime at his own house ; and the card- 
table was set in the library behind the Gobelins 
tapestry. 

It had not been for many nights that De Yalmy had 
even entered this room — so had the disturbances which 
occurred there immediately after the departure of the 
Yardies, affected his mind. And now it seemed as 
though it Avere in a spirit of bravado that he had once 
more placed himself in the presence of those elements 
and those influences which had hitherto so often 
taxed his self-command to the utmost, and Avhich 
there seemed no valid reason for his not fearing on this 
occasion. 

As has been already remarked, the viscount’s gains 
for the preceding two Aveeks or more had been constant 
and enormous. 

For some reason, he had constrained himself to 
Avithold these gains from every manner of expenditure; 
so that on this night he held them all, in actual coin, 
in the draAver within the library table at Avhich he sat 
facing Claude Yardie and having, at his right and left, 
the one whom we have heretofore spoken of as Yictor 
Kosny and another Avhose name is not essential to this 
story. 

And now, as these four began their game, and as 
though the conditions of the locality were to rise up in 


166 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


opposition to De Yalmy’s brief period of better fortune, 
from the commencement of the sitting, he began to 
lose. 

The hours passed on disregarded by the four players. 

Constantly the stream of gold at De Yalmy’s elbow 
flowed in the direction of his opponents. 

Although this fact was unknown to him, he was 
playing one against three. All were opposed to him. 

The night wore on, and now the strange and mystic 
beings — who seemed to have elected to control what- 
soever life might animate this ill-omened dwelling — 
again asserted themselves. 

The viscount’s first experience in the haunted house 
was renewed to him, but quite without his cognizance, 
so was his mind absorbed in the work to which he had 
set himself. 

At first, Pierre, who, as the viscount’s favorite arid 
trusted servant, had access every where and at all times, 
had hovered about the table, watching the players 
eagerly. But had there been any other observer 
present, he would have seen, that, at an early period, 
the valet had been overcome by abject fear at those 
manifestations which he alone, of all those present, 
noticed. So had this fear engaged him, that he had, 
at length, fled the scene, and retired to his own quarter 
of the house. 

Meanwhile the game went on. 

And while the players — intent alone upon the trans- 
fer from one to another of the gold which rang upon 
the table — stared ever at the cards, and saw nothing of 
that which was proceeding around them, a terrible, 
though unwitnessed combination of incidents was 
happening. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


167 


Behind and over each player, as he bent his fierce 
and earnest gaze upon the table, there hovered forms 
of shadowy outline, which, had they been seen — so 
abhorrent was their aspect — would have driven these 
four reckless ones, in agony of apprehension, from the 
scene. 

A fluttering motion, as of the waving of bats’ wings, 
could have been heard about the rooms. Strange and 
weird phosphorescent lights danced from point to 
point and scintillated in the air above them. The 
lights grew dim, and a purple radiance involved the 
forms of the players and surrounded them. IS'oises, as 
of the clanking of chains ; music as of aeolian harps ; 
even cries, like those of beings in agony, fell upon the 
air — yet reached no ear of any person present. 

It was a fearful scene to contemplate ; and no one 
was cognizant of it. 

Only once, as Claude Yardie left his seat, and going 
to the sideboard, helped himself to a glass of wine, 
did De Yalmy become aware of his surroundings. 

Then, raising his eyes for a moment, he saw, straight 
before him, sitting in the chair just vacated b}’’ his 
partner, the unsubstantial figure of the young man 
whom he had seen on the night of his first occupancy 
of the haunted house. Yet, so was his mind affected 
and involved with his present pursuit, De Yalmy made 
no remark upon the occurrence, nor even thought of 
it again. 

Midnight had passed. 

A single clang from the nearest church bell evoked 
the hour of one o’clock from the future. 

The pile of gold, from which De Yalmy continued 
to sustain his losses, had gradually shrunk, and was 
rapidly lessening to nothing. 


168 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Early in the evening a heavy thunderstorm — almost 
unheard of at this season of the year — had burst upon 
the city ; and the reverberations of the thunder and 
the glancing of the sharp lightning had continued at 
intervals to render the night the more gloom ful. 

Meanwhile, past Long Branch — then no gay, 
charmed festival scene for social roisterers — past 
Shewsbury Inlet and the long spur of Sandy Hook 
with its lighthouse, careening heavily before the 
fierce northeast blast, there labored an ocean steam- 
ship. 

The Avinds blew upon her, the sea raged beneath her, 
yet still she bore upon her course toward the city. 

On through the loAver bay, past Fort Eichmond and 
Fort Hamilton, and straight across the harbor, until 
she lay at anchor, near the shore. 

Despite the storm now raging at its fiercest, a 
small boat pushed from the side of the steamship, and 
successfully made the wharf. 

From this boat there ascended to the dock three 
persons. A carriage, in Avaiting for a chance fare, 
received them, and presently Avas rattling over the 
pavement, through Broadway and so toward the upper 
part of the city. 


The gold, which had dAvindled beneath the bloAVS 
of the Viscount de Yalmy’s evil fate, had been Avasted 
to the last eagle. Placing this upon the table, De 
Valmy played his final stake. 

The game proceeded and De Valmy lost. 

‘‘ Gentlemen,” he said, rising to his feet, my 
exchequer is exhausted. I confess myself fairly 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


169 


beaten. It is a stormy night, and I wish that it were 
in my power to offer you hospitality. It is not how- 
ever ; and as I am someAvhat fatigued, I must bid you 
good-night.” 

The others rose, surprised at the manner of De 
Yalmy; but on his invitation, proceeded to the side- 
board, where they drank to his better fortune in the 
future, and, bidding him adieu hastily, the three left 
the house and passed out into the night. 

De Yalmy closed the door behind them, walked 
calmly through the intervening apartment, and entered 
again upon the scene of his recent ruinous losses. 

He stood for a moment, hesitating, as he entered the 
room ; then, as if having suddenly made up his mind, 
he passed rapidly behind the library table, opened 
the drawer out of which he had paid the winnings of 
his opponents, and took therefrom a pistol. 

At that moment there appeared to his horrified 
gaze — close beside him and very clearly visible, a 
shadowy arm and hand. The latter seized his wrist, 
and — notwithstanding the muscular effort which he 
put forth despite the shock which the appearance of 
the phantom had occasioned, forced him to lower the 
pistol, until it rested upon the table, and then to re- 
linquish his grasp of it. 

At the moment when he did this, and as he stood 
there shaking like an aspen, while thick beads of 
moisture stood upon his forehead, a terrible ringing 
was heard at the door-bell. 

The ringing was repeated — and again. The vis- 
count stood still resting his hand upon the table, 
waiting, wondering, hoping. 

The noise had roused the sleeping Pierre, and in a 
moment the front door was opened. 


m 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


Then a rush as of a whirlwind was heard through 
the house, and instantaneously the Gobelins tapestry 
was parted in the middle, and Madam Yardie entered 
the room with hurried steps. 

She spoke no word — but hastened to the side of the 
viscount, placed one hand upon his shoulder, and with 
the other, drawing from her bosom the Malachite 
Cross, she laid it on the table before him. 

Uttering a cry which seemed almost of agony, De 
Yalmy clutched it. 

At that instant, the Gobelins tapestry again opened ; 
and from between its folds, there appeared Marguerite 
Kemy, and behind her Gabriel Yardie. 

Then the Yiscount de Yalmy fell prostrate to the 
floor. 


CHAPTEE XYIII. 

“in hoc SIONO VINCES.” 

The feeling of Marguerite Eemy when she found 
herself in the presence of the man whom she loved 
above all the world, and for whom she had been will- 
ing to sacrifice her life, is impossible to describe or to 
elucidate by words. 

From the hour of her escape from the prison, the 
hour which came in between her life and her death as 
with the power and the ministration of an angel of 
mercy — Marguerite’s mind had been in a whirl of 
doubt and questioning expectancy. 

The very method of her escape from the Concier- 
gerie had so much of the mysterious, almost super- 
natural, about it ; the coming of that old man — on 
each occasion fraught with a revelation to her ; her 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


171 


being garmented in robes which did not belong to 
her, and which came from she knew not whence, at 
that old man’s bidding. 

Then her being met at the depot by the pale, sweet- 
faced lady and her kind and loving husband ; her 
hasty journey through the long night to the sea coast ; 
her first venture upon the ocean ; the which Mar- 
guerite had never before seen in all her life — then her 
brief stay in England, surrounded by foreign people, 
and surprised and bewildered by a foreign tongue; 
the second embarkation, and this for a prolonged sea 
voyage — all these things had seemed to Marguerite 
as only elements of a dream, from which she must 
presently awaken to find herself seated on her hard 
couch in her gloomy cell, awaiting the coming of that 
sun which was to have been the last ever to shine 
upon her. 

During the voyage, she had been impressed with the 
manner of Madam Yardie, which had modified none 
from its former attitude, and which would have pre- 
vented Gabriel Yardie from giving his consent to her 
return home, if it had not been that her over-powering 
will swayed him, despite himself. 

Yery little had Madam Yardie said to her husband 
as to her return — nothing but that she would go, that 
she would never be well elsewhere than at home, and 
that she would be restored to health on her arrival 
there. To this judgment and this decision she had 
held with such tenacity of purpose and such absolute 
determination of intention, that she overcame her 
husband’s scruples against his will, as against his 
wisdom. 

The voyage had ended for Marguerite amid the 


172 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


whirl of a fierce storm, the blinding gleam of almost 
tropical lightning, and altogether amid elemental 
disturbances which prepared her mind for a conclusion 
of a similar character to the events which were now 
thrusting themselves so rapidly and so violently into 
her life. 

But these did not prepare her mind for the scene 
which now fell upon her. 

There lay Honore de Yalmy, prone upon his face; 
struck senseless, as it seemed, by some mighty occur- 
rence, of which she could not understand the meaning 
or occasion. 

Upon the massively carved table lay the Malachite 
Cross, which Marguerite remembered with a shudder, 
to have at some time seen among the trinkets in the 
possession of her late mistress, the murdered Madam 
Carteret. 

Beside it, shining with steely glitter, was the pistol, 
with which, she knew, he whom she loved had 
intended to take away his life. 

Bending over the prostrate form with a new light 
in her eyes, and a new sentiment manifest in her 
attitude, was the woman who had been to Marguerite 
such a study during the short period that she had 
known her. In the background stood Gabriel Yardie, 
struck with horror, and perchance with some faint 
glimmer of a perception of all that this scene portended 
for him. 

Such was the novel situation in which this young 
girl found herself. This lasted but for a moment, 
however. 

Immediately each forgot, for the instant, his or her 
own especial interest in what was passing, and all 


THE MALACHITE GROSS, 


173 


devoted themselves to the immediate purpose of restor- 
ing the Viscount de Valmy to consciousness. After 
considerable effort on the part of all — Pierre who had 
now entered, included — the young nobleman gradually 
recovered himself, and being lifted to a seat, his mind 
resumed its functions and his body its physical 
strength. 

And, with this restoration, there came upon him the 
understanding of his peculiar relations to these, his 
friends, who had so served him and who had risked so 
much in his behalf. 

Kising up like a giant refreshed with new wine, and 
as though the restoration of his cherished amulet had 
produced upon him a re- vitalizing effect, he grasped* 
Marguerite Remy cordially, and even tenderly by the 
hand, and in a few well-chosen words, confessed his debt 
to her. So subtly was this done, that the poor girl 
forgot, for the moment, as he had doubtless forgotten, 
the terrible crime of which he had been guilty and for 
which she had suffered. 

Passing, then, to Gabriel Yardie, De Valmy accosted 
him warmly, and congratulated him upon the apparent 
restoration to health of his wife, To this the merchant 
made answer humbly — while he accepted the viscount’s 
proffered salutation apparently in a friendly spirit — 
“ If she be restored, it is only within the past five 
minutes. No medical aid has been of any service to 
her, and she has never changed in her manner nor 
appearance from the hour when you last saw her.” 

“Yet she is evidently changed now,” said the vis- 
count ; and turning to Madam Vardie for the first 
time — and as though he had been strengthening himself 
inwardly for the effort — he approached her and took 
her hand. 


174 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


The change in her manner and appearance which 
had occurred during the past five minutes was certainly 
a marvellous one. The deathly pallor which had so long 
overspread her countenance was gone, and in its place 
was a soft, Avarm flush, as of the first blush of love in a 
maiden. Her eyes shone with a brillianc}^ Avhich Avas 
dazzling, yet Avhich Avas not unnatural, or characterized 
by any abnormal peculiarity. But the change in her 
Avas a Autal one, and it was at once made manifest to all 
present, by the look Avith Avhich she greeted De Yalmj^, 
as he dreAV near her. 

There could be no misunderstanding that look. 
To the most unobservant, it Avould have told much. 
To one Avho Avas capable of reading it, it spoke of ab- 
solute surrender. 

We referred to Madam Yardie once before as being 
possessed by the will of him Avho had sent her forth on 
her mission, armed Avith the Malachite Cross. 

Now her mission AA-as ended, and the amulet restored, 
and still the influence, although changed, had not been 
lifted from her soul. She Avas enthralled, absorbed — 
only this Avas not an enthrallment of the Avill, but of 
the heart. 

So manifest Avas this, that De Yalmy perceived it 
almost AAuth shame; and that he might preserve all 
tliose present from the agonizing effects of a disclosure 
which he Avas not ready to have presented to them, he 
hastened, by rapid speech and ready suggestion to 
obliterate, if possible, from their minds, any immediate 
consideration of the disturbing fact Avhich noAV offered 
itself. 

In this, he was fortunately seconded by Madam 
Yardie herself; Avho, after her first gi\dng Avay to an 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


175 


impulse which she was unable to restrain, recovered her 
equanimity, and conversed with what freedom she 
might — surrounded as she was by such a wall of 
embarrassing circumstances. 

But, despite the best intentions and efforts of these 
two, there was plainly such a shade of gloom settling 
down upon them all, that it was evident no change 
could be effected save by the immediate separation of 
the parties. This view fell upon all of them at once, 
and with the same force. 

Gabriel Yardie was the first to give utterance to it. 
Referring to the lateness of the hour, now nearing morn- 
ing, he proposed that Marguerite should accompany 
his wife to his own house — havin^: made arrangements 
to that effect by sending a messenger to apprise his 
servants of his coming, on his way from the steamer. 
To this proposition, De Yalmy raised no objection, 
satisfied that in no other way could he gain the time 
for that reflection, which he now saw, was so pecul- 
iarly needed for his proper extraction from amid the 
network of trouble which was beginning to encompass 
him. 

Accordingly, with a few cold words of leave-taking 
on the part of the merchant — who could not restrain 
himself from some expression of the feeling which 
was beginning to overpower him — and with a farewell 
from Marguerite hardly less cold — since she, too, now 
began to receive some light on the relations between 
De Yalmy and Madam Yardie, either existing or im- 
pending — the three took their departure in the carriage 
which had brought them. 

As the carriage moved away, something very extra- 
ordinary occurred. Madam Yardie leaned from the 
window and said to De Yalmy : 


176 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


“ Good-night, M. de Yalmy. We have had a 
delightful evening, and I look upon your house-warm- 
ing as a perfect success.” 

And then the horses were driven rapidly away; and 
Be Yalmy, who had shrunk back, almost terrified by 
Madam Yardie's last words, was left alone. 

It was now past two o’clock ; yet he did not 
retire. 

Seating himself at the table he ordered Pierre to 
bring him a glass of wine. This he drank, and then 
another, and another, seeking thus to banish from 
his mind the multitude of unwelcome thoughts which 
Avould thrust themselves into it — the last and worst 
arising from Madam Yardie’s significant speech. 

In this he succeeded to some extent. 

The sight of the Malachite Cross, from which he 
had been so long and so disastrously separated, 
awakened in his soul a species of triumph which he 
had never before experienced. 

It brought— that he knew full well — safety. On 
the morrow, the note, to which he had forged the 
endorsement of his single remaining friend in Mew 
York, would come due. Beggared already in purse 
and dishonored in character, that morrow would have 
seen him the inmate of a prison — no power but the 
power of the Malachite cross could have preserved him 
from this ignominy. But the Cross was here and he 
was saved. 

He knew, as well as he knew that he lived, that the 
money which he needed to relieve all his embarrass- 
ments would come, and in time. ' 

But as for sleep, he did not require it, and it would 
not come to him ; and so he passed the night in alter^ 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


177 


nately striving to concentrate his mind to reflection, 
and then restlessly walking up and down the apart- 
ment, from which, on this single occasion, there 
seemed to have been banished all those preternatural 
happenings which had hitherto so embarrassed him. 

The renewed coming of the Malachite Cross into the 
field of his life’s action, swayed with a superior power 
those powers which had heretofore seemed to compass 
him around and about, as of an army. 

And so the sun, pouring into the library windows in 
the early morning, and bringing almost into relief the 
quaint figures worked into the scenes depicted in the 
Gobelins tapestry, shone upon De Yalmy, still per- 
plexed, but still triumphant. 


CHAPTEK XIX. 

WHEREIN MICHAEL SHANAHAN RESIGNS HIS POSITION. 

At twelve o’clock, on the fourth of Xovember, the 
Yiscount de Yalmy took up the note with the forged 
endorsement, and that dangerous instrument was 
speedily destroyed and out of his path forever. On 
the same afternoon, his various gambling acquaintances, 
and others to whom he owed large sums for sundry 
accounts, met him by appointment, and his indebted- 
ness in each case was discharged in full, with interest. 

The secret of the viscount’s sudden accession of 
wealth was a simple one, and is easily related. 

On that morning he had received, by mail, letters 
from his bankers in Paris, enclosing drafts for sums 
large enough to completely restore his fallen fortunes. 

That day was fruitful of events in the career of the 
Yiscount de Yalmy. 


178 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


He had just concluded his business with the last of 
his creditors, having made the appointment at his own 
house, when a visitor was announced, who, on entering 
proved to be a gentleman prominent in New York 
social as well as mercantile circles, and who had been 
one of the most friendly of the viscount's early ac- 
quaintances in the city, and also one of the first to 
break with him under the influence of the cloud of 
rumor which had so long a time overshadowed De 
Y almy’s character. 

Surprised by receiving a visit from one whom he 
had long given up as an associate, De Yalmy, however, 
received him courteously, but waited in some wonder 
for an explanation of his errand. This the gentleman 
was not long in communicating. 

He had called, he said, to clear up the misunder- 
standing which had so long existed between them, and 
which — as he confided to the viscount — had originated 
in slanderous charges made against the latter by his 
friend Claude Yardie. 

“But,” said De Yalmy, “since you believed those 
charges, whatever they may have been, at the time of 
their making, what, may I ask, has happened recently 
to change your opinion ? ” 

“Well, that is precisely what I was getting at,” 
responded his visitor. “You have not, then, I 
suppose, heard the news with regard to young 
Yardie?” 

“ I have heard nothing special with regard to him,” 
replied the viscount; “I saw him last night,” he 
continued, “ and expected to have seen him again to- 
day— but for some reason he has failed to meet 'me.” 

“Ah! precisely! Well, you will not see him to- 
day, nor again very soon, I suspect.” 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


179 


And why may that be ? ” 

“ He left the city and the country at an early hour 
this morning, accompanied by his friend and country- 
man, Victor Rosny. They are a pair of companion 
scoundrels, I have reason to think, and the city is well 
rid of both of them.” 

It occurred to He Yalmy at this moment that he 
still owed Claude Yardie a small gambling debt ; and 
he thought that something serious must have happened 
to drive the young man away without his having 
made application for its payment. However, he said 
nothing at that moment, but waited, while his visitor 
continued : 

The fact is. Monsieur de Yalmy, it is through thi^ 
young Yardie that your character has been defamed 
to that extent, that my friends as well as myself felt it 
their duty to cease recognizing you — not supposing, 
heretofore, that the statements made were untrue. 
Your false friend’s own present situation is a sufficient 
answer to all his aspersions of you ; and, for the error 
I beg to convey, on my own part, at least, my very 
sincere regrets, with the hope that you will overlook 
the unfriendly conduct which you have of late suffered 
under, and will continue to visit us as before.” 

De Yalmy acknowledged the satisfaction which he 
experienced from hearing this expression of regard 
and assured the gentleman that he should bear no 
malice — meanwhile expressing some faint curiosity to 
know the occasion of Claude Yardie’s sudden change 
of residence. 

^ Well,” said the other, almost in a whisper, “ it is not 
very clear as yet. There is a woman mixed up in it 
as there not infrequently is in such matters; and, to 


180 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


tell the truth, for personal reasons I would rather not 
go into details just at present. You will be certain 
to hear all about it before long, as scandal Hies fast, 
my dear viscount, even if it does sometimes blunder 
into a wrong course.” And here he laughed heartily 
at his own illustration, clapped De Yalmy on the back 
in a friendly manner — and this the latter did not 
resent, for reasons which seemed very good to him at 
the moment, the gentleman being a magnate and a 
man of wealth and position — and then the latter took 
his departure; not before, however, defining his 
renewed friendliness by inviting the viscount to dine 
with him on the following Sunday — an invitation 
which was accepted as cordially as it was given. 

This visit was followed by others of the same 
nature; and before sunset, De Yalmy found himself 
reinstated in his social position, and, moreover, learned 
sufficient as to the cause which impelled the flight of 
Claude Yardie to satisfy himself that this young man 
would probably not soon return to l^ew York, either 
to molest or befriend him. 

So urgent were the viscount’s friends to make 
amends for the injury which they conceived had been 
done him, that his actual entree into the social world 
commenced on the very night of the day of the fatal 
fourth of November. 

Some special reception occurred on that occasion, 
and a very personal invitation, accompanied by an 
impressive shower of apologies, induced De Yalmy to 
be present ; and to this course he was led, as much 
as anything, by a desire that Gabriel Yardie should 
find him thus reinstated, as soon as he heard anything 
in reference to this phase of his life; and also the 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


181 


viscount was not unwilling to enter into society at 
this time for another and a more important reason. 

He Avas not yet quite ready to meet the situation 
which he foresaw would soon be forced upon him in 
reference to Madam Yardie and Marguerite Eemy. 

His OAvn impulses and passions were being strangely 
and powerfully Avorked upon by his neAv impressions, 
Avith regard to these two ; and uncertain yet as to his 
future course, and peculiarly uncertain as to the atti- 
tude which he Avas to assume in relation to them, he 
hesitated to meet them, even, until the disturbed 
Avaters in Avhich he A\"as noAV SAvimming should have 
become a little calmed. 

So De Yalmy Avent to the reception — nor imagined 
that, while he Avas enjoying Avith tranquil yet most 
agreeable zest his re-establishment in the associations 
Avhich Avere to him a second nature, only a few 
squares distant from him, there was being enacted a 
tragedy. 

The storm, Avhich, on the night before, had hurled 
itself with a force and virulence that seemed almost 
passionate, against the immediate latitude of the city 
of ^^'eAV York, had been placated before the rising 
sun ; and this day had been cold, clear and wintry, but 
brilliant and invigorating. And so the starlight 
night shone through the crisp and exhilarating Novem- 
ber atmosphere, and the lights in the streets and in 
the houses seemed to illuminate to better effect, and 
the people hastened along the pavement Avith rapid 
and vigorous Avalk, and the theaters Avere thronged, 
and eA^ery thing bore an aspect of life and animation. 

Save at least in one quarter. 

At about ten o’clock, Michael Shanahan emerged 


182 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


from his cozy little office — where the red-hot stove 
diffused an alluring warmth about it — and proceeded, 
as was his custom, to see to the fastenings of the outer 
gate of “ Old Lam son’s Circus.” 

Why the old man was so careful as to the locking 
and bolting of this dreary wilderness of old lumber, 
must ever have been a mystery save to himself and his 
Maker. These only could have told that, to the honest 
soul of the lonely Irishman, his one duty had ever 
assumed proportions as grand, and calculated to carry 
with it the weight of as determined a responsibility as 
could ever be the case with any affairs of this world to 
those who have to control or negotiate them, be those 
others, however much more important, as this foolish 
Avorld views things. And so, while the ghostly 
furniture of the old lumber-yard cast its weird shadows 
in every direction beneath the starlight and the moon- 
light, the ignorant, close-mouthed and honest watcher 
over the wood and iron wealth of his charge, plodded 
about the yard on his nightly duty, and as usual, 
concluded his tour of inspection mechanically although 
trustworthily, at the door of the office. 

One foot was over the sill, and his arm was raised 
to place his lantern on its accustomed shelf just within 
the door, when with a noise in the air as of a bird's 
flight, something large and dark and heavy darted like 
a flash upon him ; a terrible blow crushed down upon 
his head, and he sunk to the ground a mangled, sense- 
less, dead thing. 

The next moment, a dark figure glided stealthil}^ 
past the prostrate form of the murdered Irishman into 
the little office, whence, in a moment later, no light 
gave token through its windows to the passers-by of 


The malachite cross. 


183 


habitation. Thence, groping dubiously by the red 
gleaming firelight to the sill, pausing a moment and 
stopping to observe if yet there should be life in the 
shapeless mass at his feet, out into the yard, and wind- 
ing through its bewildering routes, and so on to a 
distant place where a loose board, easily put aside, 
gave egress to the street. 

Gliding on surreptitiously no longer, but with head 
erect, and walking as other men walked through the 
night and under the starlit sky, as though conscience 
were dead in him or never had been, the murderer 
took his way into the thoroughfare, . and joined the 
throng of those whom business or amusement kept 
abroad at night. 

Down Broadway with head erect and face not even 
pallid, as the light from the street lamps and the shop 
windows fell upon it, on, until reaching the corner of 
Fourth street, he turned westward, and finally paused 
at the door of the Viscount de Yalmy’s house, which 
he entered. 

Haunted now, and still again — haunted not with 
spirits from the other world, not with ghosts of dead 
men rising in the horror of .a perpetual presence 
absolved from bodily substance ; not alone with super- 
natural emanations growing out of — Heaven knows 
what mysterious forces of nature here combined to 
trouble and constrain the frightened soul into doubt 
and questioning ; not alone in noises heard in the dead 
of night, in clanking of mysterious chains still clinging to 
the limbs of those whose offenses even had been for- 
gotten of this world ; not alone in any of these, but in 
the presence within this mansion, so long haunted by 
such apparitions, of an appearance, more ghastly and 


184 


THE 3IALACHITE CROSS. 


more horrible than any of these — the presence of a 
human soul, stained with a cruel, cowardly and seem- 
ingly needless murder. 

Yet not needless to the progress of this most 
unhappy story. 

For when the morning papers related the flight of 
Claude Yardie, accompanied by the history of all 
its disgraceful and ignominious circumstances, had 
Michael Shanahan not been lying a bruised and 
battered corpse, twenty-four hours would not have 
elapsed without the Yiscount Honore de Yalmy being- 
made acquainted with the full circumstances of the 
plot which had of late obstructed his career. 

And when this had happened, Pierre, his trusted 
valet, would have been forced to surrender at once 
his position and his opportunity ; and the parting 
injunctions to him of Father Gronevitch would never 
have been fulfilled. 

By what means Michael Shanahan’s knowledge 
concerning the conspirac}’^ became known to his 
murderer has never been discovered. 

When the Yiscount de Yalmy rang for his valet on 
the following morning — bethinking himself of the 
possibility of public disclosures with regard to Claude 
Yardie — he asked Pierre, seeing that the latter had a 
morning paper in his hand, what was the news. 

“ There is a paragraph, sir, about Monsieur Claude 
Yardie, and the story of a horrible murder committed 
last night,” said Pierre. 

‘‘ Indeed, who is murdered? ” 

“ Only a poor Irishman, sir, who had charge of a 
wood yard, or something of that kind.” 

“ How did they discover the murder ? ” continued 
the viscount. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


185 


“ Curiously enough, sir. Some one passing the place 
at about midnight, observed a stream of blood flowing 
under the gate. Calling a policeman, an examination 
of the place was made, and the gate being burst open, 
the man was found dead, lying across the doorsill of 
the office just within.” 

“Is there any clew to his murderer?” a^ked the 
viscount. 

“ Kone whatever.” 

“Was the man rich?” 

“He was as poor as a rat; and, so far as known, 
had not a relation, a friend, or an enemy living.” 

“ What a fortunate man. It is a pity that he should 
have died. But what could have been the object of 
his murderer?” observed He Yalmy, as he took the 
paper from the extended hand of Pierre. 

“ I cannot imagine,” said the latter ; “ probably 
some one trying to get into the yard to rob, was 
attacked by him, and, in the struggle, he was 
killed.” 

“Very likely,” said the viscount ; and then he pro- 
ceeded, over his coffee, to read what the newspaper 
said about Claude Yardie, and in a few moments, had 
forgotten that Michael Shanahan had ever existed. 

Pierre and the newspaper were both correct as to . 
the fact of there being no clew to the murderer ; and 
when this nine days’ wonder had its allotted time with 
that of the enforced emigration of young Yardie, the 
world still remained ignorant of the murderer of the 
Irish watchman at “ Old Lamson’s Circus.” 

And that crime was added — so far as the world was 
concerned — to the long list of previous and later occur- 
rences of the^ same kind, for whose elucidation we 


186 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


must very probably wait until the day of judgment 
shall reveal the motive and the manner of all crimes 
whatsoever, which have occurred and which shall 
hereafter occur on this wicked planet. 


CHAPTER XX. 

MADAM VARDIe’s DISEASE TAKES A TURN. 

The following had been the last words of Madam 
Yardie, as she had parted from the Viscount de Yalmy 
on the night of her arrival from Europe : “ Good 
night, M. de Yalmy. We have had a delightful even- 
ing, and I look upon your house-warming as a perfect 
success.” 

Although these words had been heard by De Yalmy 
with utter surprise, there is no occasion to comment 
at length on their effect. But as to those who Avere 
with Madam Yardie in the carriage, the meaning of 
her remark appeared to them utterly incomprehensible 
under the circumstances. 

Imagining for the moment that this might possibly 
be an expression intended for badinage — although 
thinking to himself that it Avas, to say the least, 
exceedingly inappropriate at this time, and under the 
circumstances which had immediately preceded it — 
Gabriel Yardie permitted the incident to pass Avithout 
remark. 

But a few moments later looking at Marguerite, 
Madam Yardie said: “Well, my dear, and how did 
you enjoy the evening ? And by the Avay,” she con- 
tinued, turning to her husband, “excuse me, but I 
don’t at this instant remember this young lady’s 
name.” 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


187 


At that moment the carriage passed a street lamp, 
the light from which, streaming into its window, illu- 
minated Madam Yardie’s countenance; and her husband 
leaned forward and looked earnestly at her, to catch, 
if possible, some expression which might 'elucidate to 
his mind this strange, and, at present, unfathomable 
phase in her disease, if such it might be. The light 
from the street lamp, however, displayed Madam 
Yardie at her best. ISTot only was there not the least 
appearance in her countenance which might be judged 
to result from any mental disturbance whatsoever, 
but, on the contrary, she was placid and in complete 
repose — save that a pleasant and genial smile cast a 
glow over her countenance, as though it were the 
reflection from reminiscences of pleasant hours recently 
passed in congenial society. 

Unwilling to accept the conclusion which would 
force itself upon his mind, that his wife’s intellect had 
become unhinged completely by the events of the 
evening — precipitated as these had been upon a lengthy 
season of mental disquietude — M. Yardie responded 
to her question, as though it were the most natural 
one in the world for her to ask : 

‘‘Why, this, my dear, is Mademoiselle Marguerite 
Kemy, whom we have asked to accompany us home 
for awhile.” 

“Ah! yes, precisely,” she said. “Do you know, I 
had quite forgotten her face. But it don’t matter. 
As I was saying, my dear,” she continued, turning 
to Marguerite, “how did you enjoy 3wrself this 
evening ? ” 

Marguerite looked from one to the other in amaze- 
ment. She had long had her doubts with regard to 


188 


THE MALACHITE CRO>SS. 


Madam Yardie’s sanity; now she felt convinced that 
the unfortunate lady’s reason was at length effectually 
disturbed. 

With that customary first intention which supervenes 
in all such cases among ordinary people, she responded 
to the question as though it had been a perfectly lucid 
and appropriate one. 

“ I think it was a very pleasant evening, madam.” 

“ It seems strange to me, though,” observed the 
latter, as she pressed her hand to her forehead for a 
moment, as though she Were trying to recall some- 
thing; “ it seems strange to me, that I cannot remem- 
ber the supper. I recollect hearing the announcement 
when M. de Yalmy and some others were with me in 
the library, but from that moment my memory is a 
complete blank.” 

Of course this was all utterly incomprehensible to 
Marguerite, who sat still and looked at Madam Yardie 
in open-mouthed wonder. 

Not so, however, the unhappy husband. For to 
him there began to creep out of the labyrinth of 
misty uncertainty a single element of the miserable 
truth. 

He observed that his wife’s recollection closed 
with the period which immediately prefaced the 
supper, as he rightly judged, on the occasion of the 
Yiscount de Yalmy’s house-warming on the nineteenth 
of August. 

What, if it were possible that her mind were really 
a blank as to all the occurrences which had succeeded 
this occasion. Beads of perspiration started out on 
the forehead of the miserable man, as this terrible 
contingency presented itself. The fact, however, could 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


189 


be determined readily by a very simple and judicious 
system of questioning. 

Turning to his wife, and speaking in his natural 
tone, he said to her, “You don’t recollect what oc- 
curred after supper ? ” 

She shook her head in a bewildered sort of a way, 
and drummed with her fingers on the window-sill of 
the carriage, as she looked out into the night, and 
strove to catch some possible clew — in the elements, 
perhaps. Then she said slowly : 

“ 'No — I don’t think — 1 remember — anything — after 
you came — to the library — and announced — supper.” 

“ And how long ago do you think this was ? ” con- 
tinued Gabriel. 

She took out her watch, held it up to the carriage 
lamp, and responded : “ About two hours.” 

“My God !’’ he cried aloud, driven fairly out of 
himself by this evidence of the justice of his suspicion. 
“ But, my dear,” he continued earnestly, “ try and 
think for a moment. Do you not remember anything 
in connection with your first scene with this young 
lady?” directing his wife’s attention to Marguerite, 
who sat now pale and disturbed, as the presentiment of 
some terrible evil began to come upon her. 

Madam Yardie looked at her long and carefully — 
but very evidently without recognition. 

Again she shook her head as she answered : “ I 
cannot remember — of ever having — seen her before. 
I suppose 1 must have been — casually introduced to 
her this evening ; and you know, my dear,” she said, 
“ I was introduced to a number of young ladies whom 
I had not seen before.” 

Poor M. Yardie clinched his hands, and bit his lips 


190 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


until the blood came. This was an evil which he had 
never contemplated ; nor, now that it presented itself, 
could he possibly account for it. 

Here was a woman who for ten weeks had lived ap- 
parently, with slight exception, the ordinary life of 
human beings; who had eaten, drunk, walked, talked 
and slept, as was her habit when in a normal condition ; 
who had performed all the natural functions of human- 
ity, with only the slightest possible aberration from 
customary human health, and that displaying itself in 
a mild form of mental weakness — and suddenly, the 
curtain being lifted from those ten weeks of this life, 
it appeared to him that the period in question had 
been an absolute vacancy to her. 

He could hardly understand that such an occurrence 
was possible. In all his reading or experience it was 
unprecedented'. 

And still she went on conversing — volubly for her, 
satisfied, apparently, with an occasional monosyllabic 
answer from either of her companions, and discussing 
the occurrences of the nineteenth of August with a per- 
fect recollection of even the most minute of them, and 
displaying more and more, as her speech went on, 
that her voyage to Europe, her weeks passed in Paris, 
her return journey, and ever}^ incident connected with 
either of these occasions, had passed over her existence 
without leaving the slightest trace upon her intelli- 
gence or her memory. 

Involved in this new and utterly sickening and dis- 
comforting combination of evils, Gabriel Yardie 
hailed the arrival of the. carriage at his own door — 
anxious to get away by himself, where he might re- 
flect upon this new and mysterious dispensation which 
had so suddenly come upon him. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


191 


Madam Yardie was received, on reaching her own 
residence with all those evidences of gratification and 
affection on the part of her old and tried servants, 
which would naturally occur in the case of one who 
had been absent from her home for a length of time ; 
and this course on their part seemed to astonish and 
even annoy her. 

“ There, there, that will do, good people,’’ she said, as 
they pressed about her, offering their congratulations 
on her return, and their hopes that she had been bene- 
fited — and passing hastily by them, she entered the 
drawing-room, saying to her husband as she did so: 
“I have not the slighest idea what they all mean. 
One would think I had been aAvay for a month or 
more.” 

“ It is nothing, my dear,” said Gabriel ; some little 
effort of humor on their part, I dare say.” And so, 
turning the matter off, he induced her to retire as 
speedily as possible, after making arrangements for the 
proper accommodations of Marguerite Eemy. 

But after madam had retired, Gabriel Yardie signi- 
fied to the young girl that he desired a few words 
with her in the library — whither the two accordingly 
repaired. 

Bidding her to be seated as soon as he had entered 
the room, M. Yardie said : 

“ My dear, this is a very mysterious affair, and I am 
almost afraid a terrible one in some of its circumstances. 
I can readily see that you are quite as much mystified 
as I am at my wife’s strange behavior this evening. 
After all, it is very likely only a new form of her 
disease, whatever that may be; and, as you know, 
I took her to Paris with the purpose of having that 


192 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


thoroughly investigated, and only brought her back 
before a cure was effected, because of her request and 
even anxious desire to return, and my own unwilling- 
ness to combat her resolution, or exercise any restraint 
on her wishes. I need not observe to you, my dear — 
you have already displayed so kind and considerate a 
manner since we have known you — that you will be 
exceedingly judicious and careful in your association 
with madam, not to irritate or annoy her, or awaken 
any suspicion in her mind concerning her actual con- 
dition.’’ 

To this Marguerite offered a ready consent, at the 
same time observing that she did not see how she 
could venture to trespass upon the hospitality of M. 
and Madam Yardie, considering that she had no 
claim whatsoever upon them — for, from the first hour 
when she saw Madam Yardie, Marguerite had been 
frequently impressed by that lady with the extreme 
necessity which had existed that she should not com- 
municate to Gabriel anything whatever in reference to 
her prison life or its occasion. 

M. Yardie begged Marguerite not to annoy herself 
with any reflection on this subject, but to consider 
herself, at least for the present, his guest ; adding, that 
if she would devote herself as far as practicable to the 
amusement and comfort of his wife, he would feel 
more than repaid for the slight hospitality. And then 
Marguerite retired to the apartment designated for her, 
while Gabriel, after accompanying her to the door and 
bidding her a friendly good-night, seated himself, and 
proceeded to reflect upon the situation of his wife. 

And without entering into the details of the nature of 
these reflections, it is sufficient to observe that the con- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


193 


elusion of them, to which the unfortunate gentleman 
arrived after much disturbed but earnest and careful 
thought, was this : 

It was very evident that the apparent condition of 
madam’s memory was no hallucination. 

Gabriel Yardie Avas assured that she actually knew 
nothing of what had passed since the memorable 
nineteenth of August. 

Eecalling the events of that evening, he noAv remem- 
bered that he had left his wife in the company of De 
Yalmy and two or three others in the library of the 
house in Fourth street. 

He also recalled, that the last words which he had 
heard Madam Yardie say at that time, referred to a 
promise Avhich he judged I)e Yalmy to have made, to 
relate certain mysterious occurrences having reference 
to the popular superstition concerning that house be- 
ing, as it was commonly termed, haunted. 

He had himself always heretofore laughed to scorn 
the idea which Avas conveyed in that Avord. Although 
he had been the agent of the oAvners of the house for 
a number of years, and during that period had seen it 
gain and lose many tenants — and all avoAvedly for the 
same cause — yet there never had entered, for an 
instant, into the brain of Gabriel Yardie, the idea that 
by any possibility it could have been because of actual 
supernatural occurrences. 

But it noAV occurred to him, and Avith a degree of 
force Avhich made him shudder at the thought — Avhat 
if these stories might be true, after all ? What if 
disembodied spirits might perchance revisit this 
planet, and locating themselves in certain selected 
habitations, there devote themselves by reason of the 


194 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


infernal powers with which they were endowed, to 
the annoyance and disturbance, or even injury, of 
their tenants? 

And again — supposing that De Yalmy, by some un- 
precedented combination of events, should himself 
have been actually granted those influences of which 
the unhappy merchant had read in his youth; and 
here he recalled to mind the names of all the as- 
trologers and necromancers of whom he had ever 
heard in his life — beginning with IN'ostradamus, and 
ending with Cagliostro — and rising, paced the room 
in a misery of doubt and suspicion, out of which his 
intelligence, unenlightened by anything tangible, was 
unable to grope. 

One thing was certain, however. 

This period of oblivion on the part of his wife dated 
from the hour when he had left her with the Yiscount 
de Yalmy, and it had closed immediately after her 
return to his society— and then the conclusion forced 
itself upon the mind of the miserable man, that this 
same De Yalmy must be an unmitigated scoundrel, 
and the more dangerous because — probably for some 
reason impossible for the ordinary Christian of the 
period to discover — gifted with powers against which 
the ordinary Christian could not successfully struggle. 

And so, at last, he concluded his reflections with the 
single determination to find the Yiscount de Yalmy 
at the earliest practicable moment, charge him with 
the infamy of which he suspected him, and, if neces- 
sary — kill him therefor. 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


195 


CHAPTER XXI. 

IN WHICH MARGUERITE REMY MAKES A DISCOVERY. 

Xow, THERE are two points which will doubtless 
occur to the reader, in connection with the develop- 
ments of the last chapter. 

One of these involves the question, “ Why did it not 
immediately occur to Gabriel Yardie to acquaint him- 
self with the nature of the occurrences of the night of 
the nineteenth of August, by questioning one or the 
other of those who were present in the library — 
besides his wife?” 

The other point is, “Why did not Madam Yardie 
regain her natural lucidity of intelligence when in the 
presence of De Yalmy on the night of the third of 
Xovember, and express some not unnatural surprise 
at the situation in which she found herself at the 
moment when she first entered the library, and saw 
De Yalmy standing by the table with the pistol 
before him?” 

As to the first of these questions, it is only doing 
Gabriel Yardie justice to state that it had occurred to 
him quite naturally in the course of the matter, but 
for all practical service it was likely to be to him, it 
might just as well not have occurred to him at all. 

For to save his life, he could not recall to mind the 
names of the two or three persons whom he left in 
the library, at the time mentioned, in company with 
the Yiscount de Yalmy and his wife. 

And it may be observed here, that, on closely 
examining his wife, with regard to this important fact 
on the morning following their return home, Gabriel 


196 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


discovered, either that she could not or would not 
communicate to him the names of those persons; 
reiterating the assurance, which she had already 
given, that she had no memory of anything which 
had happened on that night after her husband left 
her. 

As to this second question, this had also suggested 
itself to Gabriel Yardie’s mind, but without the least 
hint of any explanation being presented to him. 

We, however, who are in a better position to explain 
this mystery than was either Gabriel Yardie or his 
wife, can throw some light upon it. 

The induence with which De Yalmy had, for so 
long a period, overpowered the will and controlled the 
action of Madam Yardie, had not been removed from 
her until she had passed out of his presence, and out 
of the sphere of the jiower of the Malachite Cross. 

This fact also disclosed itself during the long and 
earnest conversation which Gabriel Yardie held with 
his wife on the day after their return. 

Madam arose in the morning, apparently in excel- 
lent health and spirits, and met Marguerite and her 
husband, with an unquestioning repose and placidity 
of manner, which were calculated to deceive any one. 

In the conversation to which we have alluded 
above, she apparently had no hesitation whatever in 
answering all questions that were asked her, and 
answered them all consistently, and seemingly without 
the slightest ar7^iere pensee. In tact, the further he 
probed this melancholy case, the more was M. Yardie 
convinced as to the accuracy of his two conclusions : 
first, that his Avife was telling the exact truth in her 
relation; and, second, that the Yiscount de Yalmy 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


197 


had been guilty of an infamy which rendered him unfit 
to live. 

In the meantime, as may be imagined, the reflections 
of Marguerite Remy on the startling disclosures to 
which she was so unexpectedly and unwillingly a 
witness, produced in her mind a most painful and tor- 
turing state of suspense, from which she would have 
given worlds to have found herself delivered, even 
though it had been at the expense of all that her heart 
held most valuable. 

The keen eye of the young French girl, and the 
special sensibility which her own love for the viscount 
had created in her, enabled her to see at a glance the 
state of Madam Yardie’s feeling with regard to De 
Yalmy. 

As to his condition in reference to this subject, she 
could divine nothing. 

But now there began to dawn upon her the appre- 
hension that the man to whom she had given her heart, 
unasked, and for whose reputation and safety she had 
periled her own, was not only unworthy of her or any 
other true woman’s affection and fidelity, but was 
possibly, as Gabriel Yardie had concluded, unfit to 
live. 

While her present host did not absolutely confide in 
her in reference to the conditions which Avere at 
present afflicting his household, she learned enough 
from him — added to what she gained from her own 
conclusions, to satisfy her that the mission of Madam 
Yardie to France in her behalf had been effected 
through instrumentalities which her religious rearing 
taught her must be simply diabolical. 

Of course, she did not fail, in the interests of hi m 


108 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


whom she could not cease to love, despite what she 
feared with regard to him — to conclude that Gabriel 
Yardie was not likely to let the terrible wrong, which 
had doubtless been done him, to pass without as 
terrible a reparation. When this thought occurred to 
her, all of Marguerite’s tenderness rose up to strengthen 
her fears for her lover, and to create in her the 
determination to save him, if possible. A few casual 
words dropped from the lips of Gabriel Yardie, and 
certain actions of his, simple enough in themselves, 
but bearing evident relation to the subject uppermost 
in her thoughts, decided her course. 

She determined to seek out De Yalmy, and warn 
him of his danger. But to do this effectually required 
more than a determination. 

Marguerite was a stranger in New York, ignorant 
of its language and localities. 

She racked her brain to conceive of some means of 
communicating with De Yalmy without rousing the 
suspicions of M. Yardie. But the day passed, and no 
light came to her to guide her steps. 

Ere the close of the day tidings came to Gabriel 
which filled his cup of affliction to the brim. He 
learned of the flight of his son, the details of the 
wrong-doing with which he was charged and the 
infamous character which he left behind him. 

Bowed to the ground with this new shame, Gabriel 
Yardie could find no consoler in his wife, for he well 
knew the detestation in which she held the unhappy 
young man. Several of the merchant’s friends came 
to him, however, and condoled with him upon the 
disgrace which had entered into his family. 

And thus miserably and mournfully the day passed, 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


199 


to be followed by another laden with a still heavier 
burden of sorrow and shame, to break down, as it were, 
the last remaining dependence of Gabriel Yardie upon 
the future, for atonement for the past. 

On the morning of the second day after her arrival 
in New York, Marguerite Eemy found means for 
putting into action the determination to which we 
have already alluded. By bribing one of Yardie’s 
servants, she secured his promise to accompany her 
across the ferry to the city, and thence to the house in 
Fourth street which he had often previously visited on 
errands for his master. It was, however, late in the 
day before the duties of this servant permitted him to 
accompany her. 

Marguerite had seen nothing of Madam Yardie 
that morning. The lady had sent word by her maid, 
both to her husband and to Marguerite, that she was 
indisposed, suffering with a severe headache, and 
should remain in bed probably for the greater part of 
the day. 

Wrapped up in anxiety concerning his lost son, whom 
he loved tenderly, despite all his faults, Gabriel Yardie 
hailed the temporary illness of his wife as giving him 
immunity from association, which, just at this time, 
was peculiarly distasteful to him ; since for that son 
she experienced no sentiment but that of dislike, and 
possibly even hatred. 

He accordingly left his house during the forenoon, 
with the intention of visiting New York, and there 
learning what facts he might, concerning the probable 
direction in which Claude had fled, and the precise 
extent of the wrong he had committed. 

About an hour after the departure of the merchant 


200 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


for ISTew York, Madam Yardie might have been seen 
emerging from her apartment, closely veiled and 
accompanied by her confidential maid. These two 
hastened, with stealthy steps, and unobserved, to leave 
the house. Hurrying through the grounds, they 
entered upon the main road and proceeded to walk 
briskly in the direction of the ferry. 

One witnessing the movements of these two would 
have assumed, at once, its clandestine character, as 
well from the apparent desire to avoid recognition, as 
from the fact that Madam Yardie had not ordered 
her carriage, as was customary with her, although the 
distance to the ferry involved not more than a half- 
hour’s rapid walking over the crisp and frosty road. 

Late in the afternoon. Marguerite Kemy, piloted by 
the servant of whom we have spoken, also took her 
departure from the mansion of Gabriel Yardie, and 
proceeded in the direction of the city. 

Before leaving, she wrote a note to her host, 
explaining her absence, by stating that certain of her 
friends had found her out, and desired her to accom- 
pany them temporarily to their home in the city. 

Gabriel Yardie’s servant proved a safe and trust- 
worthy guide, and Marguerite Kemy found herself on 
the steps of the Yiscount de Yalmy’s house, in Fourth 
street, just as the sun was setting. 

By one of those extraordinary incidents with which 
fate so frequently aids or mars the acts of humanity. 
Marguerite discovered, when her companion had left 
her and was retracing his steps homeward, that the 
door of the viscount’s house was slightly ajar. 

She had rung the bell, at first gently, and then 
violently, to both efforts receiving no response. 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


201 


The fact was, Pierre had stepped out but a moment 
before, to confer with a friend in a neighboring wine- 
shop, and had left the door open, the better to facili- 
tate his entrance, when he should return, as there was no 
other servant in the house, and his master was 
engaged. 

Finding that no one came to admit her. Marguerite 
Eemy ventured to push open the door and entered 
the house. 

The hall in which she now found herself was nearly 
dark ; and blinded somewhat by the difference from 
the light out of which she had just emerged. 
Marguerite found some difficulty in groping her way 
to a room on the left, into which she passed, finding 
herself in a large apartment filled with costly furniture. 

Standing still for a moment. Marguerite dimly re- 
membered the apartment as the one through which 
she had passed from the library to the street door on 
the only one occasion when she had ever been in the 
house before. 

While standing thus, she heard a low murmur of 
voices, apparently proceeding from a room directly 
fronting her, and which was separated from the one 
in which she was by heavy curtains. 

This was the library behind the Gobelins tapestr}^ 

Her footfall made no sound as she moved across the 
heavy carpet. 

Reaching the tapestry, she heard the well-remem- 
bered tones of the voice of He Yalmy ; and their 
accent and intonation were such as to send the blood 
surging to her face, and then back to her heart again 
with a terrible impulse of emotion. • 

Clutching the tapestry curtain as though it were a 


202 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


solid thing and could sustain her, she almost leaned 
upon it for support in this fearful moment of anguish. 

For the tones which she heard were unmistakable. 

The human voice sounds these chords never but for 
the better delineation of one passion — the passion of 
love. 

The heavy woven fabric by which she held, and 
which had perchance been fashioned centuries before, 
and long ere this bedecked some noble lady’s chamber, 
in the days of Louis XIY. — had never, even in that 
romantic period, beheld a scene like the one to which it 
was now to be a silent and unrecording witness. 

For while she listened, the voice of De Yalmy was 
silent — and now there fell upon her ear the sound of 
another — and this time of a woman. 

With a shriek of anguish. Marguerite thrust apart 
the Gobelins curtains, and flung herself within the 
room. 

There, standing erect before her, with the last 
rays of the departing sunlight playing upon his coun- 
tenance, flushed with passion and triumph, stood 
llonore de V^alniy and in his arms, with upturned 
face and eyes seeking his was the form of Madam 
Yardie. 


CHAPTER XXII. 

IN WHICH MADAM VARDIE MAKES HER ELECTION AND 

WHAT COMES OF IT. 

The SUDDEN and unexpected entrance of Marguerite 
into the library had surprised De Yalmy and Madam 
Yardie in what might be construed as a rather question- 
able situation. 


THE MALACHITE CltOSS. 


m 


The thoughts that flashed across the poor giiTs mind 
at the moment when she saw these two together, fairly 
struck her dumb. 

Here was confirmation of her worst suspicions. 

The conviction wliich had been so long growing in 
her mind that this • was to be, was now an accom- 
plished fact; and if, in her there grew up at that 
moment a terrible struggle, who can blame her? Un- 
worthy as he was of the prize which he had won, Mar- 
guerite Kemy’s heart had been given to He Yalmy 
unasked and without second thought. The sacrifice 
which she had made for him, had been made willingly, 
gladly, though hopelessl3^ 

Almost from the first, she had never, for one moment, 
deemed that that sacrifice would not have been con- 
cluded to the utmost possibilit3\ Withdrawn, as it 
seemed to her, by powers more than human from a 
maelstrom of difficulties, the hope which had then 
arisen in her breast that her reward might yet come 
to her in the affection and gratitude of her lover, had 
become the guiding-star of her existence. 

She could contemplate with equanimity the sacrifice 
of her life. She could not thus contemplate the loss of 
all the possible fruition of this hope. 

Precipitated thus into a situation which was abso- 
lutely appalling — in the death blow which it gave to her 
dearest aspirations — Marguerite stood aghast at the 
terrible scene before her. 

During the few moments immediately following 
her first burst into the library with that fearful cry of 
anguish and hopelessness, she stood paralyzed and 
almost without appreciation of the real condition which 
she had found existing there. She was as one whose 


^o4 the malachite gross . 

nerves had received a sudden shock from a brutal 
blow ; but presently she awoke from this temporary 
condition of oblivion and respite to a full knowledge of 
her position, and that of those upon whom she gazed 
with all the frenzy of her love and her horror blazing 
out upon them through her eyes. 

Then the discordant elements in her soul began to 
war one with the other. 

There were three of these. First, her love for De 
Yalmy ; then, her jealousy of Madam Yardie — which, 
hitherto smoldering, now burst forth into a blaze of 
passion — and finally her gratitude to botli of these 
two, for that they had saved her life. 

And Marguerite’s life was dear to her, as it is to all 
humanity ; although in her case — now that the light 
would have seemed to have gone out of it — it could 
hardly appear, to one considering the question, that 
there could be much for which she might desire to 
live. 

Yet, strangely enough, and paradoxical enough, 
while but a little before she would have died for De 
Yalmy, and while but a little later, she would have 
lived for him or to aid him, now, with this element of 
gratitude which struggled with the others for 
possession of her, there was presented an intense 
affection for life Avhich had nothing whatsoever to do 
Avith either of these impelling motives. 

This was a terrible and perplexing situation, it will 
be admitted. The human heart, fruitful as it is of sad 
and wild emotions, but seldom finds itself divided in 
interest betAveen three such totally opposing forces. 

MeanAvhile, there Avas not time for reflection ; hardly 
AA^as there time for inspiration. That strange feminine 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


205 


instinct which partakes of both these attributes with- 
out distinctly resembling either, took possession of 
Marguerite Remy at this moment and directed her 
course. 

As is not uncommon in such cases with women, the 
immediate definition and direction of this instinct 
presented itself in the shape of a purely unselfish and 
generous spirit. 

There was yet time, possibly, to save from ruin the 
soul of this woman — who stood opposite her — her rival 
in the arms of her lover. 

There was yet time, possibly, to ward away from 
the head of the kind and loving husband, this blow — 
this most terrible of the many blows which had of late 
come to him. At all events, Marguerite would make 
the attempt. 

Those two still stood there — silent, immovable, 
almost incomprehensible. 

It seemed to Marguerite, as she cast an appealing 
glance at them, as though the good God should instill 
into their hearts some feeling of such purity and such 
magnanimity as should drive them to a recognition of 
their wrong-doing, and to a resolution to obliterate, it 
now and forever from their lives. 

With this appealing glance, she besought them, with 
her clasped hands before her, ere she spoke to them. 
But, absorbed and engrossed, the one with the other ; 
bonded together by such chains as are forged only once 
in awhile for the shackling of poor humanity ; they 
seemed hardly to be impressed with her presence, 
much less to recognize the purpose to which she was 
slowly but fixedly devoting herself. 

At length she spoke. 


206 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


“ I had suspected this,” she said, in tremulous and 
broken accents ; “ I don’t know that anything I can say 
may move you to alter your obvious relations. I don’t 
])lead for myself” — and here she looked straight into 
the face of De Yalmy — “ although, despite the debt of 
gratitude I owe to both of you, 1 may still lay claim 
to something more from him, whose lightest word 
would have been my law, and in comparison with 
whose wish or demand life has for me no charms, and 
death no terrors. In this terrible moment, I may say 
what modesty would otherwise prevent me from 
acknowledging even with a look. Ilonore de Yalmy, 
I love you, and you know it. I have never had room 
in my heart for any other than you. I know — and it 
may recur to your mind — that in the days which have 
passed, you have sometimes given me occasion to be- 
lieve that this love of mine was returned. Never did 
you express this so plainly as when, by your thought 
of me and your action, you restored to me the life 
which was in peril for your sake. I know that we are 
widely separated from each other by the social laws 
Avhich rule this world. I have always known that, and 
that you could not sacrifice yourself and your future 
hopes for me. But as for me, I was willing, am will- 
ing to sacrifice everything. I would be your slave ; 
your servant ; ruin and disgrace would not prevent me 
from this course, if through it I might save you and 
her from what seems coming to you. Oh, sir ! Oh, 
madam ! For God’s sake, for every sake, pause now! 
— don’t advance, I implore you, another step in this 
career, which means infamy, disgrace and sorrow to 
you— and wicked sin toward one to whom you both 
owe kinder deeds.” 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


207 


And still the two stood there listening, but seemingly 
hearing not. 

De Yaliny, white as marble, staring straight before 
him into the face of Marguerite; and Madam Yardie, 
forgetful of all else, consulting for her rule only the 
open book of her lover’s eyes. 

Marguerite sighed deeply. Then with a sudden 
gesture, she flung aside the heav^^ masses of hair, which 
had fallen over her forehead in her rapid entrance into 
the room, and gliding away swiftly toward Madam 
Yardie, she threw herself at her feet, and clasped the 
folds of her dress in her two hands. 

‘‘ Listen to me, one moment, madam,” she said ; 
“ consider what you are doing ! Already the world 
rings with the news of some infamy which has been 
perpetrated by the son of your husband. The old 
man, stung to the heart, is at this hour seeking infor- 
mation as to the real depth of this wrong which has 
been done him. You, who should be at his side con- 
soling him, are here contemplating a wrong so much 
deeper and wickeder, that when he learns it, this other 
will be forgotten. Bethink you of all that must come 
of this : the wreck of a reputable household, the 
disgrace of a name hitherto the synonym of integrity. 
Fly, I pray you, from a danger which must engulf and 
destroy, not him alone, but you also. iS’o good thing 
can come of such a foul and wicked alliance as this. 
Fly, I implore you.” 

Marguerite ceased speaking, and buried her face in 
her hands. 

Then Madam Yardie drew herself up, and for the 
first time regarded the figure prostrated before her — 
regarded her scornfully, and responded to her last 


208 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


adjuration in these words: “Fly, and leave him to 
you ? ’’ 

It was all she said, and it was enough. Leaping to 
her feet with a bound like a panther. Marguerite 
stood before her, and looked in amazement that the 
woman could live who could thus forget her duty. 

And as though to complete her defeat, and to fling 
defiance where at least tenderness and recognition 
might have been expected, De Yalmy — clasping still 
closer the graceful figure of tlie beautiful woman, 
whose very soul he had stolen from her — said in a 
manner cold and sarcastic, as though he were indeed 
addressing the slave which Marguerite had expressed 
her willingness to be to him : 

‘‘My dear child, you forget yourself. And although 
you have referred to our relative positions, you 
evidently do not understand them. I should think, 
too, having just been rescued at some cost from the 
risk of a shameful and disgraceful death on the 
scaffold — and that, as it almost appears to me, deserved 
— I should think you would hardly come to me either 
with such a shameless confession, or such an insane 
and frivolous attempt to alter my determination. My 
poor aunt must have educated far differently from 
what I had supposed, one whose present action so 
belies her past modest and respectful behavior. I am 
sorely afraid. Marguerite, that we did wrong in 
preserving you from your fate. I almost think you 
were really guilty.” 

As De Yalmy had continued speaking Marguerite 
had never taken her eyes from him ; but as she gazed 
and listened to his cruel words, she slowly glided 
backward, away from him, holding her hands before 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


209 


her, as if she would shut out the sight and sound of 
accuser and accusation alike. 

Thus she was backing unconsciously away from him, 
when, as he uttered his last word, and she had just 
reached the Gobelins tapestry, the latter was flung 
suddenly open, and the voice of Pierre was heard 
announcing : 

“ Monsieur Gabriel Yardie.’’ 

The sudden and unexpected announcement of the 
actual presence of the injured husband produced a 
marked effect upon those present. 

Madam Yardie, uttering a hollow groan, shrunk 
back from the encircling arms of her lover, and fell, 
crushed and fainting, into a fauteuil which stood 
behind her. 

De Yalmy started and grew a shade paler; but 
recovering himself, folded his arms and stood await- 
ing, with his customary effrontery, what might 
happen. 

Marguerite paused in her retrograde movement 
just in time to avoid precipitating herself into the 
arms of M. Yardie. And Pierre, with a grin of mali- 
cious satisfaction on his countenance, as though he had 
foreseen and intended the present occurrence, let 
fall the Gobelins tapestry behind those present in the 
library and disappeared from view. 

M. Yardie stood for a moment, and looked from one 
to another question in gly and sternly. 

His face had so changed under the impress of the 
affliction which he had undergone, that it was hardly 
recognizable. His iron-gray hair seemed almost to 
have whitened in this brief interval. His face was 
serried with deep lines of care and abstraction. 


210 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


He stood thus, silent, for a moment. 

Then with a rapid glance at Marguerite — in whose 
face he read the full depth of the wrong which had 
been perpetrated against him — he turned to De Yalmy, 
saying: “I perceive, M. le Yiscount, that I am de 
trop. Had I known precisely the nature of the gath- 
ering I was about to break in upon, I might possibly 
have waited, and had myself longer announced before 
entering. It is, however, I think, as well that I did 
not. It would only have delayed matters.” 

Turning now to his wife, Gabriel Yardie said, in a 
voice which softened a little in spite of himself, “ I 
think, madam, from what I can discern in the attitude 
which you presented when I so suddenly appeared, 
and in the faces of these others, that I am too late in 
what I am about to offer. I don’t know, indeed, that 
I am called upon to make any proposition to you ; 
but I have seen much trouble of late, and I hardly feel 
equal to grappling with this one. Even now, I am 
willing to ask you, if you will return to our home with 
me.” 

He paused for her response. 

She sat, cowering and trembling with the depth of 
her emotion, and for a moment she did not answer. 
But, then, slowly rising — and while a new light came 
into her husband’s eyes — the unexpected light of hope 
— she quenched this in an instant, as, turning to De 
Yalmy, she flung herself into the arms which he 
extended at the moment, as though prompted by some 
diabolical influence to complete, in the most shameless 
and objectionable manner, the infamy of his crime. 

Mutely gazing into De Yalmy’s face, as though 
seeking there strength to fulfill her purpose, she thus 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


211 


tacitly for forever loosened the tie which bound her to 
Gabriel Yardie. 

Overcoming, with a powerful effort of self-command, 
tlie whirlwind of rage, hate and jealousy which for a 
moment swept over and about him, the latter accepted 
the answer thus given to his question. 

Turning to Marguerite, and, with the same courtly 
and gentle manner which always distinguished him, 
he said : “This is no place for you, my child, or for me. 
Come with me. M. le Yiscount de Yalm}^ there can 
be but one conclusion to this affair. You will hear 
from me to-morrow morning.-’ 

Then, and without further regarding the other two, 
he drew Marguerite’s arm beneath his, thrust aside 
the tapestry, and passed out of the room and out of 
the house. A hired carriage was awaiting him, and, 
seating Marguerite therein, he gave a hurried order 
to the driver, entered himself, and they were rapidly 
driven away. 


It was the third morning after the evening whose 
events we have just chronicled. 

The scene occurred in a locality then much more 
familiar to JSTew Yorkers than at present; an open 
space behind a bluff overlooking the Hudson river, 
where is now a portion of the city of Hoboken. 

The time was early morning, cold and clear — the 
morning of the eighth of November, 1843. The sun 
was perhaps half an hour high, when a carriage, driven 
rapidly from the ferry, up the hill, presently reached 
the spot of which we have just spoken ; and, halting, 
speedily deposited its inmates upon the ground. These 


212 


TUE MALACHITE CROSS. 


comprised three persons, Gabriel Yardie and two other 
gentlemen, one of whom held a pistol-case in one hand, 
and the other in his what appeared to be a case of 
surgical instruments. 

They had hardly alighted, when another carriage 
was seen approaching from the direction opposite 
to the one in which they had come ; and this, when 
it had stopped and emptied itself, brought upon 
the ground three other gentlemen, one of whom was 
the Yiscount de Yalmy — the other two evidently oc- 
cupying the same positions with regard to him as those 
whom we have already described as being with M. 
Yardie. 

It would have been very evident to any one who had 
been present, that a duel was on the tapis, but there 
was no one present to make this observation beside 
those immediately interested. 

The two seconds at once approached each other, and 
the preliminaries were rapidly arranged. 

In a very few moments, the opposing parties were 
placed opposite each other, the seconds standing a 
little at one side. 

There was a flutter of a white handkerchief, for an 
instant, in the air ; there were two pistol shots so near 
together as to barely escape being simultaneous ; there 
was a little groan and ihe heavy thud of a human body 
falling upon the hard ground. 

That was all. 

In five minutes, Honore de Yalmy with his two 
companions were driving rapidly down the hill toward 
the ferry-boat, and Gabriel Yardie was lying dead, 
with his face turned to the ground. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


m 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

AFTER THE DUEL. 

The killing of Gabriel Yardie in a duel created 
much excitement in the social and merchantile world 
of Xew York ; and had he, who was the cause of his 
death been accessible, the state of feeling which was 
produced by this sad occurrence boded ill for his future 
comfort and freedom. 

But the Viscount de Yalmy had disappeared immedi- 
ately after the meeting, and had not since been seen 
by any of those who knew him in Xew York. 

Hot even by Pierre. 

The valet received a brief note written a few hours 
after the duel, enclosing drafts for a sufficient sum of 
money for his immediate necessities, and directing him 
to remain in the establishment in Fourth street until 
further orders. 

Marguerite Remy had received the news of the death 
of her new patron and friend simultaneously with the 
arrival of his dead body at the family residence on 
Long Island. 

The poor, friendless girl had wept his loss long and 
bitterly. 

The necessary arrangements for the funeral of the 
deceased merchant were taken in charge by a number 
of his friends, and no pains were spared to show that 
respect for his memory, which the integrity and high 
standing of the unfortunate gentleman so eminently 
commanded. 

This necessary duty having been suitably performed, 
and in a manner which, it might be supposed, would 


214 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


have met the wishes of the deceased, the next thing in 
order was the opening of the will, which, it was dis- 
covered, he had made and had properly certified to, 
on the evening previous to his death. 

This instrument, on being opened, was found to be 
brief, succinct and to the point, as might have been 
expected in a document emanating from the hands of 
one so peculiarly characterized by business sagacity 
and calm and dispassionate judgment in all his rela- 
tions and transactions as was Gabriel Yardie. 

His property, beside his controlling interest in the 
business which he conducted, was found to be large, 
and was represented both in America and in his 
native country in various profitable investments. By 
the will, this was entirely bequeathed to relatives in 
France ; saving only that certain bequests were made 
to personal friends and favorite and long-standing 
domestics. Among the provisions of the will was one 
bequeathing to Marguerite Kemy a large sum of money 
in consideration of her presumable attention to a 
request embodied in the article in which the bequest 
was made. 

This request was to the effect that Marguerite would 
take in charge the direction of M. Yardie’s late resi- 
dence, and continue the management of the affairs 
connected therewith until the heirs named in the will 
should come from France to claim their inheritance. 

It was noticeable that, in his last will and testa- 
ment Gabriel Yardie made no reference whatever to 
his widow or to his son. 

Marguerite accepted the injunction which was thus 
suddenly and unexpectedly placed upon her as a sacred 
duty. Being involved in a series of occurrences 


THE MALAGHlTK CttOSS. 


215 


whose melancholy character could not but shadow 
her entire future, the obligations which were now im- 
posed upon her were a grateful relief to the tortured 
mind of the unhappy girl. Engrossed in the task of 
regulating and reducing the large establishment of 
M. Yardie in accordance with what she could gather 
of his supposed wishes and intentions, Marguerite 
Eemy was able to forget, to a certain extent, the 
misery of the last few months. 

M. Yardie’s customary legal adviser communicated 
the contents of his will to the heirs in proper legal 
form, and in the course of time a letter was received 
from them acknowledging the receipt of this com- 
munication, and announcing that persons properly 
authorized to take possession of the property in 
America would leave Paris for New York some time 
in the early part of February, up to which period 
Marguerite Kemy was requested to continue her 
suzerainship. 

These official matters, rendered necessary by the 
sad demise of M. Yardie, having been properly and 
officially conducted to as much of a conclusion as was 
practicable at that time. Marguerite settled herself in 
her new home, with a prospect of at least several 
weeks of undisturbed and uncontrolled supremacy in 
the new affairs thus strangely placed in her conduct. 

Her first and immediately necessary action was to 
dismiss nearly the whole of the large retinue of servants 
whom Gabriel Yardie had employed — he being a man 
of liberal ideas and custom, and liking to be served 
liberally in his household. Having done this, and 
owing to the provisions of the will in their behalf, 
with the perfect acceptance of those immediately 


TEE MALACHITE GB0S8. 


216 

concerned — Marguerite had little beyond the ordinary 
daily incidents of her duty to occupy her, while no 
new or external question arose for her consideration. 

At first, Marguerite had hopes that the death of 
her husband under such peculiarly horrible circum- 
stances, might induce Madam Yardie to change the 
intention which she had formed ; and, casting off the 
man whose conduct had been so inimical to her in- 
terests and her hopes, that she might perchance seek 
out the young girl, who although unintentionally her 
rival, had yet most certainly w^on her affection. 

But Madam Yardie made no sign. 

And while Marguerite Kemy was keeping guard 
over the belongings and the interests of the late 
Gabriel Yardie, Pierre was engaged in precisely the 
same duty in the house in Fourth street and in relation 
to the affairs of the Yiscount de Yalmy. 

But, Pierre, never comfortable in the mysterious 
and peculiar domicile which his master had elected to 
occupy, found himself much less so now, when that 
master had departed, no one knew whither, and he 
was left to occupy it alone. 

But this latter course never even suggested itself to 
the mind of the scheming valet. 

Immediately after receiving the note directing his 
course with regard to the viscount’s affairs Pierre 
made arrangements for society. 

Selecting from among the friends of his own national- 
ity, whom he had acquired in the metropolis, he invited 
these to occupy free quarters in the establishment 
under his care, and by means of their aid and comfort 
succeeded in enjoying himself with every reasonable 
degree of completeness and satisfaction. 


THE MALACHITE GHOBS, 


217 


It need not, however, be imagined that Pierre and 
his companions led a life entirely undisturbed by the 
ghostly habitants of the haunted house. 

The contrary was the case. 

Being, however, possessed of strong nerves, Pierre’s 
friends managed to become accustomed to the super- 
natural occurrences which they nightly witnessed, 
while Pierre, sustained by the presence of others in 
his own sphere, ceased to notice them. 

Occasionally, to be sure, there would appear mani- 
festations of a more extravagantly weird and appall- 
ing character than at others, and when such happened, 
the entire party customarily vacated the premises, 
leaving the house at the disposal of its ghostly visitors, 
and returning to it in the morning, not unfrequently 
to find almost its entire contents displaced, and a 
general condition of things existing, as though beings 
of more than titanic power had been engaged in alter- 
ing the location of every article of furniture, however 
weighty, in the house. 

On one occasion, Pierre had prepared the massive 
oak table in the dining-room for a festival, at which 
he expected aquaintances, to the number of a dozen or 
more, to assist. 

But just when his final preparations for the feast . 
had been made, and the party was nearly completed 
and ready to partake of the sumptuous provision which 
the liberality of the absent viscount had enabled 
Pierre to bring together, a series of manifestations oc- 
curred of a more positively alarming character than 
Pierre had ever before witnessed. 

As the valet placed the last chair before the bounti- 
fully covered table, in an instant — as though by the 


218 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


magic power of one of the old Hermetic necromancers— 
every light in the apartment went out, while the sound 
of voices in conversation, but in a language unknown 
to any of those present, seemed to indicate the arrival 
of guests, certainly uninvited, and whose nature or 
number it was impossible to divine. 

Some one had the courage to go for a candle, 
which he presently brought into the room lighted; 
but what was the horror and dismay of the assem- 
blage, when, on viewing the banquet table by its light, 
every seat thereat was found to be occupied by, in 
each instance, a being evidently in human form, but 
costumed in a guise differing widely from the dress of 
the period. 

It need hardly be said, that on observing this 
terrifying scene, guests and host fled precipitately 
from the room ; their ears being stunned, as they 
escaped, with hollow groans and shrieks of demoniac 
laughter. 

But certainly the most remarkable portion of this 
extraordinary phenomenon was yet to occur. 

For, on returning to the house on the following 
morning, accompanied by a few of his guests of the 
previous night, Pierre found, on entering the dining- 
room, that table and banquet had mysteriously dis- 
appeared. Proceeding at once to search the house — 
as it would have been physically impossible to have 
spirited all of^this festive banquet out of it — the entire 
paraphernalia was discovered on an upper floor, in a 
room barely large enough to contain it, and with 
» every article upon the table, in apparently precisely 
the same relative position in which it had been placed 
on the night previous. 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


210 


After this, although Pierre continued to remain in 
the house, he was very careful to lead a quiet life 
therein, and ventured no further, or again, in the 
direction of social festivity. 

One day, toward the end of December, the postman 
brought to the house in Fourth street a letter 
addressed to Pierre. 

This letter was from Father Gronevitch. It was 
brief and to the point — a characteristic which Pierre 
had observed in all the letters which he had received 
from the necromancer of the Pue des J uives, of which 
there had been many, these not having been alluded 
to in the course of this narrative, simply because their 
contents were not necessary to its elucidation. 

But the letter which Pierre received on the morning 
of which we speak was important. 

It advised him of the knowledge which the old man 
had of all that had occurred in the life of De Yalmy 
since the return of Madam Y ardie. It further informed 
him — after alluding to the viscount’s prolonged absence 
from 'New York — that the latter would follow the 
writer’s missive with a brief return to the house in 
Fourth street, and immediately thereafter take his 
departure for France, on which journey he was to be 
accompanied by his valet, as had been previously 
ordered. With the injunction not to neglect to possess 
himself of the Malachite Cross, before entering upon 
the voyage to Europe, the letter of Father Gronevitch 
closed with assurances that Pierre’s probation was 
nearly over, his rightful heritage awaiting him, and 
the day of judgment and punishment of his enemies 
rapidly approaching. 

On the very night after the receipt of this letter, 


220 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


Pierre was aroused at a late hour by a fierce ringing 
at the door-bell. 

Upon answering this, he found himself confronted 
by the Viscount de Yalmy, himself, who, entering in 
great haste, demanded of Pierre to make all possible 
speed in packing up a few necessary articles. 

This was accordingly done. 

And not only this. 

Kemoving the garments which he wore, the Vis- 
count de Valmy proceeded to assume others suitable 
for travel ; and in his haste — by chance — or impelled 
by some malignant force — he left in one of the pockets 
of the coat which he relinquished, and which Pierre 
packed in a portmanteau by his order, the small 
morocco case containing within its velvet lining the 
marvelous amulet, the Malachite Cross. 

Of course this portion of the orders of Father 
Gronevitch could not be overlooked or neglected by 
Pierre. 

Appropriating the cross, and secreting it carefully 
on his own person, Pierre completed his packing. 

Hardly was this done, when a carriage already 
ordered by the viscount drove up to the door. Into 
this De Valmy and his valet speedily got, and were 
driven in great haste to one of the docks in the lower 
part of the city. 

Here a small boat was in waiting, evidently by 
order. Descending into this, the pair were rowed out 
to a large vessel, which was at anchor at a short dis- 
tance, and on board which preparations were evidently 
being made for speedy departure. 

But, prior to leaving the dock, Pierre, by his 
master’s order, gave the key of the house in Fourth 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


221 


street to a messenger who was in waiting to receive it, 
with direction to convey it to the new agent of the 
property. 

Half an hour after the new passengers had got on 
board, the bark Sphinx, Captain Eeisig, master, set 
sail, before a fair wind, having cleared at noon of that 
day for the free city of Hamburg. 


CHAPTEK XXIY. 

FLOTSAM AND JKTSAM. 

It becomes necessary, at the present juncture, to ex- 
plain the immediate occasion of the departure of the 
Viscount de Yalmy for France ; and to depict the 
situation of Madam Yardie after the fatal night on 
which she had so completely renounced all allegiance 
to her husband. 

How long it had taken De Yalmy to conclude his 
mind as^to his final intention with regard to Madam 
Yardie, it is not practicable, nor is it necessary to 
state. 

This much is certain, however. 

That during the latter days of his residence in Fourth 
street, the viscount had found time to rent from its 
owner — a gentleman who resided in Philadelphia, and 
whose acquaintance he had incidentally made — a house 
located in an out-of-the-way fishing settlement on the 
wreck-bestrewn coast of Xew Jersey ; not very 
many miles from Hew York, it is true; but, owing to 
its secluded character and locality, the least in the 
world likely to be either accidentally or intentionally 
associated with the viscount. 

A locality — in the summer season — pleasant ; and it 


222 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


had been used heretofore in that season alone as a 
place of temporary resort — it was, at the time to which 
we desire to direct toward it the attention of the 
reader, certainly lonely and forbidding enough. 

A few scattered fishermen’s huts, situated on a 
bluff overlooking a long sandy beach, where the ocean 
dashed ceaselessly and unrestricted ; behind these, on 
a little higher eminence, a square, stone building, gray 
and rusty with age and the buffeting of many storms ; 
and winding past this, on into the interior, the rough 
road which led to the nearest market town, some miles 
away. 

Over this rough road, and through this market 
town, had the Yiscount De Yalmy hurried in anxious 
flight on the very day of the duel, and having for his 
companion. Madam Yardie — who — so completel}^ had 
she surrendered all of her future life and hopes into the 
care of her lover — had not hesitated to unite her fate 
with his, prepared to sacrifice, at his bidding, all that 
the world might still have in store for her in the 
future. 

The journey of these two travelers had ended in the 
stone mansion overlooking the sea ; and there, for a 
few short weeks, the wretched woman had been 
permitted to forget the past, and to live onl}^ in the 
present. But at the end of those weeks, her 
momentary glimpse of what seemed to her happiness, 
had been rudely shut out from her sight — and by the 
hand of her lover himself. 

During all this time, De Yalmy had sustained a 
constant communication with New York, receiving 
his letters and his remittances regularly, through some 
secret channel. And so, one morning, his messenger 


TUE MALACHITE CROSS. 


223 


brought to him a batch of correspondence, including a 
letter from France. 

The letters came while the two were seated at the 
breakfast table; and, as was his custom, De Valmy 
opened and read them over his coffee— confiding such 
of their contents as he chose to the keeping of Madam 
Yardie for her present entertainment, but carefully 
guarding from her knowledge, nevertheless, everything 
which he objected to add to her stock of information 
concerning him — which latter was indeed little 
enough. 

The letter from France proved to be from his 
father ; but though its contents were certainly of 
vital importance to him, both in their influence upon 
his immediate action and upon his future career, De 
Yalmy re-read it, without intimating in any way that 
it had any material bearing whatsoever. 

This letter in fact, contained an emphatic injunction 
to return at once to the family estates at Brillet-stir- 
Loire ; and the reason which was given for this sudden 
interference in his plans and intentions, was certainly 
momentous enough to have caused the mere recital of 
it to excite even De Yalmy’s usually cold and placid 
temperament. 

But it did nothing of the sort. 

As we have said, he read the letter carefully 
through, and re-read it, vouchsafing no further infor- 
mation concerning it to his companion than that it 
was a business communication in reference to an old 
matter, and having no special import whatever. 

It happened that immediately contiguous to the 
large estates of De Yalmy in Touraine, there existed 
a property of much grander proportions, whose owner 


224 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


was a nobleman of high rank. This nobleman had an 
only child, a daughter, to whom, at his death, would 
descend leagues of rich land, and a vast accumulation 
of material wealth. As the Count de Yalmy was also 
wealthy and an extensive landholder, it followed that 
the union of these two family interests would result 
in a proprietorship almost equivalent to an ancient 
dukedom. 

To accomplish this happy result had long been the 
desire of the viscount’s parents, and as well of the emi- 
nent nobleman to whom we have alluded. 

The daughter of the latter was now of marriageable 
age ; and after protracted negotiations it became the 
pleasing duty of the Count de Yalmy to communicate 
to his son the fact of a conclusion having been reached, 
the consummation of which, by the marriage of the 
two young people, would effect the object held so 
much at heart by all concerned. 

The letter, accordingly, over which the Yiscount de 
Yalmy pondered, some time, at the breakfast in the 
old stone house — this letter contained the communica- 
tion of the situation of affairs in Touraine, advised the 
viscount of the satisfactory result of the negotiations 
in his behalf, and counseled his immediate return to 
avail himself of the magnificent opportunity thus 
offered him for finally placing himself in the first rank 
of the wealth and nobility of France. 

As may well be imagined, this important announce- 
ment was considered by the viscount with a due sense 
of its high concern with his affairs ; but being a man of 
speedy reflection, it required but a few moments to 
enable him to form his judgment and to make up his 
mind on this new contingency which had been thus 
tliriist into his life. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


225 


For concerniDg these matrimonial speculations, the 
viscount had never felt much hope of success. There 
were stumbling-blocks in the way, whose nature and 
difficulty he fully understood, and which had, in fact, 
involved the labors of some of the best legal talent in 
Paris to enable their successful overcoming. 

The news of the promised fruition of aspirations 
which he had held for many years, could not but affect 
De Yalmy seriously and lead him quite away from the 
minor considerations of the life he was then following. 

In fact, this was precisely what followed. 

With his fortunate versatility, and freedom from 
de2)th of thought — at least where his heart-impulses 
were concerned — the viscount concluded on the instant 
to break the ties which bound him at this juncture, and 
which were already loosening through satiety, and to 
follow to the letter the injunction of his father, satisfied 
that in no better way could he secure his future fortune 
and standing, while at the same time, extricating him- 
self from the involved and even dangerous situation 
into which his passions and his recklessness together 
had at length led him. 

And his decision being once made, he lost no time 
in useless delays. At once announcing that he would 
•be forced to leave his companion for a brief space, and 
setting the intended conclusion of his journey at 
Philadelphia, the better to allay all her fears in his 
behalf, De Yalmy had at once a conveyance in readi- 
ness, and, within an hour, had taken his departure, 
after an affectionate farewell of Madam Yardie, 
assuring her that his business would not extend over a 
few days, or a week at the latest. 

The days went by, and the week ; and at its close. 


226 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


other days; and then, just as Madam Yardie was fairly 
ready to surrender to the despondency which was 
beginning to overcome her, there arrived a letter, 
cunningly dated at Philadelphia, and which the vis- 
count had shrewdly ordered should be retained until 
this length of time should have elapsed, in order the 
better to withhold Madam Yardie from any action in 
relation to him. 

The letter, when it did arrive, postponed the vis- 
count’s coming for another fortnight ; and inasmuch 
as the unpleasant tidings were sweetened with much 
admixture of tenderness and loving phrases, the poor 
victim was fain to content herself therewith, and to 
rest with such patience as might be given to her, in the 
hope that the next fortnight would again unite her to 
the only one on earth whose life had interest to her. 

But this fortnight moved also by on leaden wings 
and lost itself in the past, and still he came not. And 
now, and at the period which this chapter reaches, weeks 
more had piled up their burden of bitter agony upon 
the soul of the deserted woman ; and frantic nearly 
with doubt and surmise, yet conceiving nothing of the 
miserable truth, she still clung idly and feverishly to 
the hope that each day might bring with it better 
fortune. 

It was the beginning of February. A heavy thaw 
had swept away snow and ice in the vicinity of the 
fishing settlement, and then there came a freezing 
time, and all the ground was hard and frost-bitten, and 
the sand sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight, and 
the sea foamed upon the shore, and on the breakers a 
little out be^^ond it, with more than usually cold and 
merciless cruelty manifest in its onslaught. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


227 


Madam Yardie sat within the luxurious and warm 
morning-room of the gray stone house, and looked 
out upon the ocean. 

Or, she walked idly upon the beach beneath the 
bluff, and watched the crawling waves as they reared 
their crested heads high up ere they flung themselves, 
with a dull, thunderous sound, upon the beaten sand. 

But these bright open-air days lasted only for a 
little while. 

Then there began to brew, somewhere out in the 
northwest, a fierce gale, which, circling round, as is 
its custom, came one night howling and shrieking 
with confusion of sound far above the roar of the 
ocean or the thunder of its green and crested waves 
upon the beach. 

It came, and the fishermen left their huts, greedily 
as was their wont, and prowled along the beach, half 
sheltered by the bluff behind it, waiting for sight or 
sound, which, coming through the gloom and fury of 
the gale, might betoken to them prey for the wrecker. 
For while fishing was the ostensible, and to a certain 
extent the actual mode and intention of life among 
these mariners, yet chiefly they subsisted on that which 
the kind sea in its humorous and frolic moods, might, 
of wealth, or usefulness, cast up to them. 

And on this occasion the labors and hopes of these 
scarred veterans went not unrewarded. 

A glancing rocket piercing through the great black 
vault, and sparkling on high for a moment ; the dull 
sound of a gun having barely sufficient power to reach 
the ears of the listeners on the beach — these tokens 
encouraged them, and so they waited willingly and 
patiently for that of which these might be the fore- 
runners. 


228 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


And they waited not long. 

That night, Madam Yardie, roused out of herself by 
the stimulus of the storm — heart-sick and brain-sick 
with vain waiting and weary watching —went out into 
the storm itself ; that, amidst its boisterous wrangling 
and tierce and contemptuous wrestling with the earth 
and earthly things, she might find forgetfulness. 

By slow and furtive steps, and unsteady, lighting 
against the wild and spasmodic raging of the blast, 
she found her way down the steep path, and so on to 
the base of the blutf, where, tarrying a little out of 
reach of the elemental anger, she could see it 
wreak itself all around her, and hear its hoarse cries of 
victory — and in safety. 

And so was her mind wrought up by the majestic 
scene, contrasted as this was, more than ordinarily, 
with the littleness of man, whose puny intentions here 
reached no further than grasping and predacious 
search for flotsam and jetsam, so did these things 
hold and enthrall her spirit, that she thought not of 
fatigue, almost recked not of danger ; but sat there, 
brooding and engrossed, until the gray dawn came 
up out of the horizon, and displayed out upon those 
ragged reefs where the boisterous waves played so 
cruelly, the bruised and battered, and now breaking 
wreck of a fine ship. 

And as the early morning twilight opened up this 
scene, the wreckers plunged themselves into the water 
so far as they dared, with boat or without ; and with 
boat-hooks and lines and missiles of all sorts, struggled 
with each other and with the waves to claim and to 
seize the floating wealth that tumbled and tossed 
about them. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


229 

And at last, as Madam Yardie, standing as near as 
she dared to the first couriers of the advancing waters, 
glanced into the green depths of the on-coming waves, 
she saw, tossed and tumbled about as though it were a 
mass of ocean weed or some dead thing of the sea, the 
body of a man. And presently, one wave mightier 
than its fellows, or guided mayhap by one of those 
marvelous contingencies which men frivolously term 
coincidences, flung that corpse high up on the sand at 
her feet, and fled back, hissing as though in malignant 
glee over its mad freak. 

Stooping to solve this strange fugitive problem cast 
into her life haphazard, and turning upward the face 
of the dead man out of the sand — she knew him. It 
was Claude Yardie. 

The problem was solved, but not entirely. 

For, driving her back — almost with execrations, as 
they circled down upon it like birds of prey, the 
wreckers sought through the garments of the corpse 
for articles of value. Finding these, and bestowing 
them as force of will or strength of body enabled them, 
among themselves, they noted not— or, noting, 
heeded not as significant — a letter which one of these 
had abstracted from the dead man’s pocket, and 
had sent fluttering in the gale, to fall near Madam 
Yardie. 

She, stung home by this fearful picture, threw her- 
self upon it, and seizing, bore it away with her, over 
the beach, back up the steep pathway to the bluff, and 
soon, into the stone house again. 

The letter was dried quickly by the fire, and then 
Madam Yardie read it. 

It was addressed to Gabriel Yardie — a letter to the 
dead from the dead. And it contained these words : 


230 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ My Dear Father : When I see you I can explain 
all that seems mysterious in my sudden flight from 
'New York. Now I wish only to acquaint you with a 
fact that nearly concerns your happiness and your 
future life. 

“ The Viscount de Yalmy — your friend — is a villain 
and a miscreant of the worst character. Aided by 
powers of which you have read, if you have never 
witnessed their effects, he was able to influence Madam 
Yardie, my estimable stepmother, by magnetism, or 
mesmerism, as they term it, to effect his purpose of 
sending her to Paris to save, through some other 
devilish enchantment or necromancy, the life of a 
young girl, conflned in prison for a murder of which 
be Yalmy himself was guilty. I have learned this 
from Victor Eosny, to whom it was confided under 
pledge of secrecy by the viscount’s valet, whom he calls 
Pierre. I am further advised that this wretch will 
complete the ruin of your wife through the influence 
which he has gained over her. 

“ I send you this to warn you. Eeturn a message by 
bearer, and appoint an interview.” 

Below the signature, there appeared the following 
lines : 

“Viscount de Yalmy: Sir — Unless you send me 
your obligation for $10,000 on receipt of this, the 
original of the above letter will be at once forwarded 
to my father. You will respond by bearer. 

“Claude Yardie.” 

When it is remembered by the reader that this 
letter contained the first hint which Madam Yardie 
had ever received concerning her voyage to Europe ; 
when it is also noted that herein she was first made ac- 
quainted wdth the fact of the crime committed by her 
lover ; when, finally, we observe that these statements 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


231 


became, at once, truths to her without any mental ex- 
amination whatsoever, but enabled by some mj^sterious 
psychological principle of their own ; when all these 
facts are taken into consideration, it will not be con- 
sidered surprising that Madam Yardie’s maid found 
her, hours afterward, lying upon the floor before the 
fire, in a deep syncope, and with Claude Yardie’s last 
will and testament clutched so closely in her clinched 
hand that no force was able to wrest it from her. 


CHAPTEE XXY. 

THE HOUSEHOLD OF DE VALMY, AND THE “ MIRROR-FIEND.” 

La Touraine! Who has not heard tell of this 
province, renowned in Europe and throughout the 
entire world ? Boasted of by travelers, sung by poets, 
made illustrious as the home of kings, attacked, 
invaded, and disputed as the rich prey of Barbarians, 
Franks, Goths and Yandals. The softness of its climate 
and the richness of its products; the admirable dis- 
position of its soil, watered by four great rivers — 
offering to the eye a multitude of aspects, now calm 
and peaceful, at times harsh and severe, often grand, 
and always poetic. Finally, its ancient reputation as 
a rich and hospitable country, which has made it 
always sought after as a place of sojourn by the con- 
querors, kings, and powers of the earth. 

The river Loire, made picturesque by ruins of 
chateaux and fortified places of the feudal age, flows 
past the hamlet of Brillet sfir-Loire, the ancient seat of 
the De Yalmys. Xot far away is the celebrated 
chateau where Charles the Eighth married Anne of 
Brittany ; and at a little distance farther, ^^•e see 


232 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Kochecotte, noted for its whilom occupancy by the 
celebrated Talleyrand. 

The chateau of the De Yalmys bears in its archi- 
tecture marks of the taste of different epochs, dating 
from the eleventh century. The family had passed 
into possession of the estate in the fourteenth century, 
the then proprietor having lost his father at the 
battle of Agincourt, fighting bravely against the 
armies of Edward, the Black Prince. Thence, by an 
unbroken line of descent this magnificent estate had 
been conveyed from generation to generation, to its 
present possessor. 

This chateau, one of the most picturesque in France, 
presented, at the time of which we write, an aspect at 
once ponderous and graceful. Groups of towers, tur- 
rets and pavilions, relieved by a simple gallery, offered 
details the most varied, and combined, at the same 
time, in one imposing mass. The interior was reached 
by a massive stone staircase, and was divided into vast 
halls; these being supplied with great wide-mouthed 
fireplaces, ornamented with sculptures. The furniture 
of the various halls, saloons, and chambers offered 
illustrations of the different architectural periods of 
the structures. Between the two wings, a spacious 
courtyard was ornamented in the center by a solid yet 
graceful fountain, composed elaborately in different 
colored stones. 

The buildings were surrounded by a high and 
massive wall of masonry, with a walled pathway 
giving exit from the arched gateway, over which was 
curved the arms of the De Yalmys. The high peaked 
roofs and conical turrets were pierced with innumer- 
able quaint windows. Some of these were like 


THE MALACHITE CMOSS. 


233 


embrasures ; others arched or of the pointed Gothic 
style. The entire structure, though standing on an 
eminence overlooking the Loire, and commanding a 
magnificent view of its valley, was yet hidden beneath 
a dense mass of forest foliage, and hardly to be seen 
until nearly approached. 

It is needless to state that, like nearly all the ancient 
chateaux of France, this one had its record of ghostly 
legend and tradition. 

It was on an evening late in the month of January, 
1844. Without, the weather was cold, damp and 
cheerless. But within the chateau, and particularly 
in the apartment to which we shall now introduce the 
reader, there was presented, on the contrary, a scene 
which was bright and cheerful, if not animated. 

In front of a pleasant fire, burning in the large open 
fireplace, were seated two ladies. The one was 
evidently much past middle age ; but, though reclining 
at her ease in a roomy armchair, and holding a small 
fire screen before her face, it could be seen at a glance 
that she was of tall stature, and noble and commanding 
in countenance and general appearance. Her gray 
hair was arranged in high folds above an ample brow, 
in the style made familiar by the portraits of Marie 
Antoinette. A heavy dress of some rich fabric was 
relieved at the throat by rare old lace, over which a 
massive gold chain sustained a heavy jeweled locket, 
which rested upon her bosom. Her arm and hand 
were as beautiful and shapely as a girl’s; and as 
though their possessor valued these charms, they were 
set off by delicate golden bracelets of oriental work- 
manship. 

At a little distance from her, a young girl sat on a 
low chair, looking up in her face. 




THE MALACHITE CROSS 


She was apparently not more than eighteen years of 
age, and still innocent and childish looking, as became 
one who had been brought up studiously, under the 
eyes of her parents, and who had been reared and 
nurtured with due regard for her high rank and 
position in life. 

The elder lady was the Countess de Yalmy. The 
younger was the Countess Emilie de Yaugirard, 
daughter of the Duke de Yaugirard, and at present 
by mutual family agreement, fiancee to Honore, Yis- 
count de Yalmy. 

This young lady had been visiting the Countess de 
Yalmy during some weeks, with the anticipation of 
meeting her intended husband, whose return home had 
been expected daily for some time. 

As might be imagined, the conversation of these 
two ran upon little else than the character and merits 
of the Yiscount de Yalmy ; and it was upon this inter- 
esting topic that they were conversing at the moment 
when we present them to the reader. 

There was a brief silence, and the younger countess 
took the opportunity to heave a very gentle little sigh. 

“Why do you sigh, my dear?” asked the elder 
lady. 

The young girl blushed : but looking up, smiled 
sweetly, and said : 

“ What you have been telling me of the dangers of 
an ocean voyage at this season of the year, made me a 
little low-spirited.” 

“ Quite naturally, my child,” observed the other. 
“ At your age, and impressionable as you must be, it 
is no wonder that you must feel a little disturbed. I 
can assure you that I am. Why, it is now quite a 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


235 


month since he must have sailed from New York; 
and altliough he chose a packet-ship in preference to 
a steamship — and for what reason I know not — still, 
it seems to me that he should have been here before 
this. But the count, having written to his agent in 
Paris a week ago, expects a reply to-day, and that 
will, I dare say, bring some tidings.’’ 

Here there was a noise heard in the hall without, 
the closing of heavy doors and trampling of feet. 
The countess rose from her chair, and saying, ‘‘ There 
child, I am sure that must be the count returned,” 
moved hastily across the room toward the door, her 
example being followed, at once, by the younger lady 
— and her surmise was correct. 

For at that instant, the door was flung open to 
admit a tall, majestic-looking old gentleman, who was, 
in fact, none other. than the Count de Yalmy. 

Although at least three score and ten years of age, 
he had evidently ridden ; since he appeared in top- 
boots and spurs, and bearing marks of having come 
through rough weather and over heavy roads. 

Hastily crossing the room to the 'fireplace, he 
bowed ceremoniously to the countess as he passed her, 
while he touched the younger lady playfully on her 
cheek, and smilingly bade her “ Good-evening.” 
Then standing in front of the fire, and warming 
himself, he said, addressing his wife: “Well, madam, 
I have received an answer from Paris. The ship on 
which our son sailed has arrived at Hamburg, where, 
however, he is detained by fatigue and a slight illness 
after his long voyage.” Observing then that the 
younger lady started and turned a little pale, he 
continued, addressing her: “Nothing of importance. 


236 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


my dear ; only that Honore is a poor sailor, as I 
confess most Frenchman are. For me, I never saw the 
ocean but once, and I should have no fancy to s^enture 
on it.” 

“ But when do you expect him, my dear ? ” questioned 
the Countess de Yalmy. 

‘‘ Ah ! that is the best of my message. He will be 
here in live days after this. So possess yourselves 
with such patience as you may, both -of you, and 
prepare to give the traveler a warm welcome when he 
shall come.” 

How that the Countess de Yalmy stood erect, with 
the firelight and the light from the candles, in their 
sconces on the walls, flashing upon her, one could 
readily distinguish her likeness to the deceased Madam 
Carteret. She was much younger than her dead 
sister — probably some twenty years. Indeed, the 
marks of age which she bore, including her gray hairs, 
had mostly come to her since the sad calamity which 
had brought violence and crime into her family life. 
One looking at her, too, could discern nothing which 
would remind him of her son ; but a glance at the 
tall figure of the Count de Yalmy showed plainly 
whence he obtained his personal appearance, and 
almost — to one accustomed to the study of physiog- 
nomy — would explain much of his character. 

For a close examination of the face of the Count de 
Yalmy displayed the impress of traits the reverse of 
lovable. There were ambition, acquisitiveness, greed 
and sensuality plainly marked, while the entire attitude 
and manner of the man gave token of an overbearing 
and haughty temper and a merciless disposition. 

A few days after the occasion of which we have just 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


237 


spoken, the Count and Countess cle Yalmy and the 
young Countess Emilie were seated at dinner, when a 
remarkable occurrence took place. 

As we observed a little while since, the Chateau de 
Yalmy possessed its own record of supernaturalism. 

A tradition existed in the family, running back for 
centuries, to the effect that, just prior to the coming of 
any danger into the household — a seeming premonitor 
of some frightful and deadly animosity making its 
appearance in the family histoiy — there had been 
presented on several occasions, to the knowledge and 
eyewitnessing of members of the family, a phantom, 
vision, or supernatural personage, which had come to 
be known as the “ mirror-fiend.” 

The reason of this title lay in the fact that the 
medium of presentment adopted by this phantom was 
an ancient Yenetian mirror, which stood in the great 
hall of the chateau, where it had stood for centuries, 
having been brought from Yenice by some traveled De 
Yalmy of long ^^ears ago. 

As we have said, the family were sitting at dinner. 
They were chatting pleasantly together, when of a 
sudden, a loud shriek was heard from a distant part of 
the house. 

All rose from the table, and the Countess de Yalmy 
immediately sent a servant, who was in waiting, to 
inquire into the reason of the cry. Hardly had the 
servant reached the door, however, when it was opened, 
and a group of domestics, male and female, crowded 
into the room — their faces pale, and bearing every 
mark of some extraordinary fright or other disturbance. 

All spoke at once, each volubly endeavoring to speak 
louder than the rest; and, amid the confusion of 
sounds, but one thing was intelligible. 


238 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


This was the cry of — “ the rnirror-iiend,” which, 
Avhile it conveyed but little information, if any, to the 
young Countess de Vaugirard, was sufficiently well 
understood by the Count and Countess de Yalmy to 
produce upon them at once a very marked impression. 

The faces of both turned as white as the faces of the 
discomfited servants, and, hastening from the room, 
they hurriedly passed through the different apartments 
leading to the grand hall, followed closely by the 
younger lady, and, at a distance, by the frightened 
servants. 

Entering the magnificent room, which was the state 
apartment of the chtoau, husband and wife hastened 
to one end of it, where was standing the superb 
Venetian mirror of which we have spoken. Passing 
in front of it, the Count de Yalmy tottered backward 
fairly with horror and amazement, while his wife, after 
one glance, uttered a fearful shriek, and threw herself 
into the arms of her husband — hiding her face upon 
his shoulder. 

The incident was sufficiently terrifying. 

Directly in the center of the great mirror, and as if 
it were a portrait in a frame, there were plainly to be 
seen the head and a portion of the figure of an aged 
man. His beard and mustache were long, ragged, 
and evidently white, as was the thick and tumbled 
mass of hair which lay heaped up above his forehead, 
and hung heavily down upon his shoulders. His eyes 
were sunken beneath projecting brows, and were bril- 
liant and piercing. His left arm hung by his side, 
only a portion of it being visible. His right arm 
was raised in the air, with what appeared to be a 
warning and menacing gesture. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


239 


The count trembled violently, and could hardly con- 
trol his voice, as he gave orders to one of the servants 
to bring water and erase the thing from the mirror. 
The servants shook their heads; but he who was 
ordered went to do as he was bidden. 

Meanwhile the count assisted his wife from the room, 
being met at the door by her maid, who had been has- 
tily summoned, and who, with the younger countess, 
aided her in retiring to her chamber and in restoring 
her shattered nerves. 

In a few moments, the servant appeared with the 
necessary implements for cleansing the mirror, and, 
though sorely frightened, entered upon his unpalatable 
task with such fortitude as he might. But cleansing 
was of no avail. After his having scoured it with every 
known and available agent for that purpose for more 
than half an hour, the count was forced to order that 
the effort be discontinued. 

He had just given this direction, and the servants 
were leaving the apartment, when the noise - of a 
carriage was heard, which speedily drew up at the 
outer gate. A few moments after, a hasty step and 
a loud voice sounded in the outer rooms, and the 
count turned from his unpleasant occupation of gazing 
at the strange apparition in the Venetian mirror, to 
receive in his embrace his son, the Viscount Ilonore de 
Valmy. 

At that moment, and as the count drew the attention 
of the young man to the startling picture before him, a 
loud crash was heard — and the beautiful mirror was 
cracked in an instant into a thousand fragments, while 
the mysterious face was gone. 

Gone ! but not so soon, but that the Viscount de 


240 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Yalmy saw it, and recognized in the phantom face in the 
Venetian mirror, which now for the first time in two 
hundred years had presented itself to warn the family 
of De Yalmy of some impending evil — the well-remem- 
bered features of Father Gronevitch. 


CHAPTER XXYI. 

THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 

XoT UNNATUEALLY, the Surprising and even alarming 
occurrence in relation to the Venetian mirror, affected 
the nerves of the Countess de Yalmy to such an extent 
that on the following morning she found herself too ill 
to appear with the rest of the family. She had seen 
her son for a few moments on the previous night, but 
in her nervous state had been unable to hold any 
lengthy conversation with him. 

In the meantime, however, the viscount had been 
presented in due form to his intended bride, who, from 
the girl with whom he had parted the previous spring, 
had grown into the most charming and piquant young 
ladyhood. 

During the following morning, the viscount had an 
interview with his mother, who was naturally curious 
to know what he had done with himself during the 
past eight months, and not less anxious to converse 
with him on the exciting topic of her sister’s melan- 
choly death. 

In reply to her numerous questions, the viscount 
afforded very little information, giving her generally 
to understand that the time which had elapsed, during 
his absence in America, had been devoted chiefly to 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


241 


traveling; and, as he was pretty thoroughly ac- 
quainted with the country, from extensive reading 
and conversation it was not difficult for him to afford 
reasonable evidence that his statement contained only 
the truth. 

Accounting for his change of plan from the journey 
to Egypt which he had announced to her as being in 
his mind, when he wrote to her from Paris the letter 
which was laid before the reader in an earlier chapter, 
the viscount set himself to listen patiently to his 
mother’s relation of everything which she knew 
concerning the murder of Madam Cartaret, as well as 
everything else which she only suspected — of course 
concealing from her rigidly his own much more 
elaborate and extensive acquaintance with all the 
facts in that remarkable case. 

The Countess de Yalmy commented very freely on 
the assumed connection of Marguerite Kemy with the 
murder, and at length thoroughly surprised the vis- 
count by a question which he certainly was not pre- 
pared to hear from her lips. 

“ By the way, Honore,” she said, “ how did you first 
learn of the death of your aunt ? ” 

Avoiding, of course, the supernatural information 
which had been afforded him concerning this, the vis- 
count replied, “ Why you told me of it in the first 
letter which I received from you in Kew York! ” 

“Mj^ letter ! ” responded the countess in a surprised 
tone ; ‘‘I think you must be in error, Honore. Your 

father wrote to you immediately after the occurrence, 
and forAvarded the letter to your bankers in Paris, as 
desired by you. But we afterward learned, that, 
from the fact of their not knowing your address, the 


242 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


letter was detained, and was eventually lost. I did 
not write to you until early in October.” 

“ But, my dear mother,” cried the viscount, nervously, 

I am sure you must have forgotten. I can tell you 
exactly when I received the letter — which informed 
me, by the way, of Marguerite’s trial and sentence — 
it was on the night of the eighteenth of August.” 

“ Now, my dear boy,” said his mother triumphantly, 
“ you see you are certainly wrong, because the trial 
did not take place until the eighteenth of August. And 
my letter — supposing I had written one — could not 
possibly, therefore, have communicated to you the 
result ! ” 

For one moment the Viscount de Valmy sustained, 
for perhaps the first time in his life, the sensation of 
abject terror. The impossibility to which his mother 
alluded was obvious. He could not even believe in the 
forgetfulness on her part, of which he had accused her. 
The Countess de Valmy was a clear-headed, and not 
in the least a forgetful woman. 

At this instant, a thought occurred to him. 

‘‘Fortunately, my dear mother,” he said — at the 
same time taking from the inside pocket of his coat 
a pocket book — “ fortunately, I have the letter on my 
person. It just occurs to me that I placed it in this 
book immediately after receiving it, and I have never 
looked at it since.” 

Taking from the book a number of papers, he pro- 
ceeded to examine them, hurriedly at first, and then 
more carefully. 

The letter was not there. 

On perceiving his ill success and his evident discom- 
fiture, the countess laughed, and said sarcastically. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


243 


at the same time patting him on the cheek in a play- 
ful manner : “ Ah ! my dear boy, you see here is 

testimony to your own forgetfulness. Now confess 
that I am right, and that you must have got this 
imaginary letter confused with the one which I did 
write to you in October, and in which I certainly did 
refer to the trial.” 

Here was a loophole through which the viscount 
could escape from the perplexing situation in which he 
was gradually becoming embarrassed, and unable to 
explain himself. 

Grasping at the opportunity, he forced a laugh, and 
saying, “Well, mother, 1 give it up. You must 
certainly be in the right, after all,” changed the 
subject, and the conversation turned on the arrange- 
ments for the approaching marriage. 

“ You know, Honore,” said his mother — “ or rather 
you don’t know, but I will tell you — by the will of 
your aunt, her house in Paris has become my property. 
Now there are many reasons why it is desirable that 
the marriage itself, and all the legal proceedings, 
should take place in Paris. It happens that the duke, 
Emilie’s father, has disposed of his Paris residence, and 
is building another, which will not be completed for 
several months, and it is our mutual wdsh that you 
should be married as early as is practicable — say 
about a month from now. Another reason why we 
wish to spend some time in Paris, before the ceremony, 
will perhaps not occur to you. It is that there will 
be, necessarily, many preparations to be made, which 
we could not possibly accomplish in this out-of-the-way 
place. Appreciating all of this, Emilie’s family have 
kindly consented to waive ceremony, and to accept 


244 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


my invitation to make the late residence of your poor 
aunt their home until everything shall have been 
concluded satisfactorily. As soon, therefore, as I 
recover from my present indisposition — which I owe 
to that miserable incident of last night, the bare 
recollection of which makes me shudder -I shall make 
arrangements for our removal to Paris.’’ 

“ Do I then understand you that the wedding is to 
take place in my aunt’s house in the Kue Lenoir ? ” 
queried the viscount. 

‘‘ Certainly, my son.” 

It was now the viscount’s turn to shudder ; and he 
looked so manifestly uncomfortable that his mother 
asked him the occasion of his disturbance. 

“ Well, my dear mother,” he replied, “ I think I am 
rather less superstitious than most people. But does 
it not appear to you somewhat lugubrious to project 
a wedding in the very scene of such a misfortune ? ” 

The countess did not reply for a moment, and was 
evidently reflecting upon this question, which had not 
before been presented to her. But whatever impres- 
sion she may have received from her son’s manner, the 
apparent necessities of the case, most important in a 
woman’s eye, soon obliterated it. 

“ Pshaw ! my dear boy,” she ejaculated energetically, 
“ I thought you were too much of a man of the world 
to consider such things as that. Besides, the ceremony 
will be entirely private ; it is the wish of the duke and 
his family, as well as of your father and myself 
And you see there is absolutely no other road open to 
us. It will be quite im})racticable to prosecute the 
affair here, and we can go nowhere else in Paris. 
So, my dear son, do not, if you please, agitate the 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Ub 

matter any further ; and particularly, do not refer to 
it before any one else in the same manner.” And so 
saying, the countess signified to her son that it was 
necessary for his audience to come to an end, as she 
was becoming fatigued with so long a conversation. 

On leaving his mother’s room, the Yiscount de 
Yalmy repaired to the apartment which had been 
assigned for his occupancy, and proceeded to examine 
his luggage, which had only just arrived at the 
chateau. 

Now, it had happened that, on reaching Paris with 
his master, Pierre had expressed the strongest desire 
to visit certain friends of his, residing in the city, and 
had, accordingly, asked and obtained from tlie viscount 
a few days’ vacation to enable liim to accomplish this 
end. 

It followed, accordingly, that when the Yiscount de 
Yalmy desired to examine his luggage, it was necessary 
that he should do without the services of his valet. 
The slight physical effort necessary to the prosecution 
of his intention was, however, owing to the infrequency 
of the occurrence, rather an amusement than otherwise 
to the viscount ; and he opened boxes and portman- 
teaus, and tumbled clothing and toilet articles about 
for some time, with rather a sensation of freedom aris- 
ing from the absence of his attendant than any sensible 
loss on that account. 

Curiously enough, amid the numerous topics which 
had engrossed his mind of late, he had never once 
thought of the Malachite Cross. ISTow, all at once, it 
presented itself before his mind with a suddenness 
which produced almost a shock. 

At first De Yalmy could not remember when he 


246 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


had last seen the cross or what he had done 
with it'. 

Then it occurred to him that on the night of his 
leaving 'New York he had changed his clothing, and, in 
the haste and confusion of his movements, he had 
neglected to replace the amulet on his person. As 
soon as he remembered this he felt no further anxiety ; 
he knew that Pierre had packed his clothing accord- 
ing to his directions, and had no doubt he would find 
the cross where he had left it. 

But on opening the portmanteau where the coat, 
which should should have contained it, had been 
packed, he found the coat — but no Malachite Cross. 

When this happened, the Viscount de Yalmy sat 
down to think. 

There was but one conclusion to which he could 
come with regard to this unlooked-for and unfortunate 
occurrence ; the cross must have been stolen by Pierre. 

He was now reminded also, of the incident of the 
shattered mirror, the shadowy face which he had him- 
self seen therein — the face of Father Gronevitch — and 
later, the production of the new apparition in his life 
not less supernatural than the other, the mysterious 
letter which he had received on the night of the 
eighteenth of August, and which had disappeared even 
more mysteriously than it had come to him. 

Now, he added to these perplexing incidents the 
manifest disappearance of the Malachite Cross ; and 
the feeling that some malefic power was gaining in- 
fluence in his affairs became strong within him. 

It was very difficult for the viscount to assign any 
good reason for the peculation of his cherished amulet, 
at the hands of Pierre. The article, although intrin- 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


247 


sically valuable, was far surpassed in this quality by 
many of the viscount’s jewels, all of which he found 
in his jewel box, intact ; and this, although Pierre had 
been afforded ample opportunity to have taken them, 
had he so desired* 

Recognizing the fact that Pierre was well acquainted 
with the happening of many things which, in his mind, 
might be attributed to the power of the cross, thus 
making it valuable in itself, the viscount came speedily 
to the conclusion that his servant had stolen it with a 
view to its restoration on the receipt of a reward com- 
mensurate with what he might suppose to be its value 
in the eyes of his master. Having reached this con- 
clusion, his next thought was as to the effect of the 
loss upon his own life. Although by this time a full 
believer in the past efficacy of the cross in his affairs, 
the viscount, on consideration, became moderately 
reconciled to his loss. 

He consoled himself with the assurance that he 
would no longer need its aid, since he had now the 
promise of immediate position, of wealth, power, and 
a high born, beautiful and affectionate bride. 


Leaving the Rue de Rivoli, and crossing the Pont 
Heuf, the wayfarer, at the time of which we write, 
might have discovered in a small street opening off the 
Quai d’Horloge, and in the vicinity of the Palais 
de Justice, a small cabaret,^ kept by one Louis De- 
lorme and his wife Marie. 

At this cabaret,^ on the same evening of the arrival 
of the Viscount de Yalmy at the paternal chateau, 
there appeared no less a personage than Monsieur 
Pierre himself. 


248 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Entering the establishment, the valet accosted the 
proprietor, and was received by both the latter and 
his wife in the manner of an old friend. * 

After the first salutation had passed, Pierre said, 
“ Has there been one here seeking for me, my friend ? ” 
There has been no one,” was the response. 

There is still time,” was the observation of the 
valet, who next desired to know if a certain room had 
been prepared according to order. 

“All has been done,” responded Delorme, “as 
directed.” 

“ I will go in there, if you please, and wait. Send 
me a bottle of wine ; and if one comes, asking for me, 
bid him enter.” 

“It shall be as you desire, my friend,” was the 
answer ; and preceding the valet through a short pas- 
sage, the keeper of the cabaret threw open the door of 
a small room and invited him to enter. 

Pierre seated himself upon one of the two chairs, 
Avhich, with a common table, completed the furniture 
of the apartment, and waited. Presently the landlord 
returned, bearing a bottle of wine and a glass ; having 
placed these upon the table, he retired. 

Pierre poured himself a glass of wine, drank it slowly, 
and reflected. 

Ten minutes later, the door was again opened ; and 
this time to admit the one Avhom he expected. It was 
Father Gronevitch, Avho, entering, closed the door care- 
fully after him, and approaching Pierre, Avho had 
risen, embraced him with every appearance of affection. 

The two then seated themselves, and Father Grone- 
vitch observed, “You received my note?” 

“ Evidently,” Avas the only ansAA^er. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


m 


“ And you have done everything as I directed ? ’’ 

For answer, Pierre drew from his pocket the morocco 
case containing the Malachite Cross, and laid it on the 
table before him. 

Father Gronevitch stretched forth his long, bony 
hands and grasped it eagerly. So impatient was he, 
that he could hardly wait while his trembling lingers 
undid the fastening of the case, and permitted his eyes 
to rest upon the marvelous amulet once more — then, 
with a crj^ which appeared almost fiendish in its 
malignant glee and triumph, the old man gazed at the 
cross, and gloated over its possession. 

He sat thus occupied for a moment ; and then rising, 
flung himself upon Pierre's shoulder, and again em- 
braced him, saying, ‘‘ You have done well, my son ; 
you have done nobly. It is the beginning of the end.” 
And here he straightened himself up, and proceeded to 
walk the room rapidly, making violent gestures with 
his hands, and talking volubly at the same time — yet 
seemingly talking only to himself. 

Yes, it is the beginning of the end. Already so 
has that miscreant taxed its resources in his behalf, 
the cross has exerted for him all of influence that lies 
in it to his advantage. How its work shall be black — 
black and destructive. It has passed out of his 
possession forever — from him to me. Already the first 
blow is struck of the many which shall eventually 
prostrate the tottering house of He Valmy to the 
earth.” 

It was at this moment that the viscount saw in the 
great saloon of the chateau the Venetian mirror, made 
eloquent with the apparition of the mirror fiend, only 
to be shattered in the next instant into a thousand 
fragments. 


250 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


“ But a little while,” continued the old man, and 
the work shall be wrought, the crime avenged, the 
criminal destroyed — and what then ? no matter. Ha ! 
ha! there are secrets yet untold, secret forces 
against which even the Malachite Cross itself shall be 
powerless. With my hand, and the cunning of my 
brain, I can destroy as I have budded, I can build as I 
have destroyed.” 

His head sunk upon his breast, and he stood for 
some minutes silent. Then looking about him hastil^^ 
and furtively, he thrust his hand into his breast, where 
he had concealed the casket containing the cross ; and 
finding it there, a grim smile passed over his hardened 
and wrinkled visage. 

Turning then to Pierre, he said, “ Come, my son, 
you will go with me. It is necessary that for some 
weeks you should be concealed. You have done well, 
and I will care for 3^ou.” And so saying, the two left 
the apartment, and presently wended their way from 
the inn, and into the street. 

Proceeding hastily, they crossed the Pont Heuf, and 
continued onward until they reached the Kue de Kivoli, 
where, calling a fiacre, they entered it, and were 
driven rapidly through the city in the direction of the 
Eue des Juives. 


CHAPTEK XXVII. 

IN WHICH MADAM VAEDIE FINDS A FEIEND. 

The middle of February found Marguerite Kemy 
still in authority at the residence of the late Gabriel 
Yardie, but now waiting in daily expectation of the 
arrival from France of the heirs, notice of their de- 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


parture having been forwarded to her, and their actual 
coming being now — the wind and weather of this in- 
clement season being favorable — a matter of only a 
few days. 

In fact, in anticipation of this occurrence. Marguer- 
ite had already packed her own personal belongings, 
in readiness for her intended departure from JS^ew 
York ; although she had not yet decided where she 
would take up her residence, inasmuch as her flight 
from France, and the crime with which she still stood 
charged, would prevent her returning to her native 
country. 

So much of the month of February as had passed, at 
the time when this chapter opens, had been bleak, un- 
comfortable, and severe. There had been heavy snow- 
storms, and after these, rain-storms, and then periods 
of freezing, and all these severities of winter, to which 
she was so little accustomed in her own land, had kept 
Marguerite confined to the house. 

This girl had been educated from a child under the 
direct guidance of her late mistress. Madam Carteret. 
She had been educated in a manner quite above her 
original sphere of life. Further, her own natural 
abilities and tastes were incompatible with this sphere, 
and now, being removed out of the latter for a space, 
and occupying a position of responsibility, although 
alone, she did not find herself lonelj^ 

What with reading, music, and such sewing as she 
chose to devote herself to. Marguerite made the time 
pass quickly, and , so far as was practicable, pleasantly 
enough. 

Of course, she did much thinking. 

The poor girl had been hurled too suddenlj^ and too 


252 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


unexpectedly out of an existence marked only by calm 
quietude in itself, and generous consideration, one for 
the other, on the part of those concerned in it, not to 
feel the change sensibly, on being thus plunged into a 
mUee of distressing and mortifying circumstances, out 
of which there seemed, as yet, no road open for her ; 
while her present condition could only be considered a 
transition state between the horrors of the immediate 
past and the possibilities of the indefinable future. 

Marguerite had made some few acquaintances among 
the neighbors, her position not unnaturally inviting 
the little courtesies which commonly obtain in such 
cases. But affable enough at the chance meetings 
which were brought about, there was yet something 
in Marguerite’s manner which was repellant to famil- 
iarity, without being offensive. 

And so these little attentions, to which we allude, 
had ceased very early in her new life ; and now she 
was left again quite alone and to her own thoughts. 
And so it chanced that on one night when the storm, 
which had apparently become permanent and inevi- 
table, was howling and shrieking about the house with 
even more than usual fierceness. Marguerite sat by her- 
self, reading, in the room which had been Gabriel 
Yardie’s library. 

It was late by this time, and the two servants — by 
whom domestic exigencies had forced Marguerite 
recently to replace those who had formerly been 
attached to the household — had retired, closing up the 
house before they went, as was their nightly custom. 

But, as Marguerite sat thus reading, partly by the 
light of the astral lamp on the table beside her, and 
partly by the light of the great wood fire, she became 


TUE MALACHITE GROSS. 


253 


conscious, little by little — and not fully, until she had 
experienced the sensation for some time — became con- 
scious of a cold stream of air pouring in upon her. 

Her mind had become thoroughly engrossed in the 
book with which she was engaged, and it was with a 
sudden start that Marguerite at length appreciated the 
changed temperature of the room. 

She started — and the movement, which was at first 
only one of surprise, became one of horror and af- 
fright, as, rising to her feet, she saw that the door 
which led into the main hall had been opened silently 
and without her knowledge, and that in the space 
thus made there stood the form of a woman. A 
woman, clad in some dark gray woolen material, with- 
out a veil, and with the sleet and rain glistening from 
every portion of her apparel. 

A woman with a w^hite face, ghastly from physical 
effort and exhaustion, and from mental agony. 

In fact — Madam Yardie. 

The horror and affright w^hich had first seized Mar- 
guerite on witnessing this appearance, had been simply 
occasioned by the suddenness of the appearance itself, 
and not in the least by any feeling which she had or 
could have entertained toward her unhappy rival in 
what both chose to consider the affections of the Vis- 
count de Yalmy. 

Since the night of the fifth of November, Marguerite 
had seen neither Madam Yardie nor her lover ; nor 
had she known aught with regard to the movements 
of either of these. But Marguerite knew enough of 
the world, and by this time enough of the Viscount 
de Yalmy, to have anticipated a possible contingency 
like the present. 


254 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


In one instant the situation of Madam Yardie in 
its entirety flashed across her mind. 

She knew that at last she had returned to her an- 
cient home, a wanderer, and deserted. She knew 
that upon herself — Marguerite — must henceforth de- 
volve the consolation and comforting and protection 
of this unhappy woman. She knew all this, accepted 
it on the instant, and she crossed the room with eager 
and hurried steps and arms open wide, to receive the 
poor crushed and bruised fugitive with a welcome. 

She, meanwhile, not expecting this reception, driven 
hither by the cruel caprice of her misfortunes and her 
misery, hopeless, yet unable to resist the attraction 
thitherward, she dropped, as Marguerite approached 
her with outstretched arms, and forgiveness and af- 
fection beaming in her countenance and in her mois- 
tened eves ; and eluding that embrace, so grateful, but, 
oh, so undeserved, she fluttered like a wounded bird 
down upon the floor at Marguerite’s feet. 

Then there grew up in the girl’s heart, in place of 
that sentiment of mercy and of charity which had 
been there before, such a feeling of affection and of 
tender solicitude for this poor fallen and broken 
creature, that what had seemed before, to her, to be 
a duty, now grew to be her sweetest and holiest de- 
sire — to retrieve something of growth and fruition 
yet out of the future for this broken reed ; to claim 
and exact in her behalf, not retribution for her evil 
deeds, but recompense for her misfortune, oblivion 
for her wrong-doing, and charity for that she was 
tempted beyond her strength. 

Not many moments thereafter Marguerite sat re- 
clining on a soft rug before the fire, with the form of 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


255 


Madam Yardie in her arms. cold, wet and 

disheveled any longer, but with her physical comfort 
carefully considered, her drooping spirits raised a 
little, and even the agony of her soul quenched for 
the time in the grateful permission accorded her to 
pour out the story of her wrongs into the ears of 
her sympathizing and appreciative listener. 

And ere this night passed away, these two, who had 
been by the exigencies of fortune for a time seemingly 
enemies, became, as it were sisters. Sisters in the 
purest and grandest meaning of that holy tie, by whose 
proper rendering all womankind form one perfect 
sisterhood in the beautiful and compassionate aid and 
comfort, which alike in sorrow or in infirmity, only 
woman can afford to woman. 

Now it chanced that inasmuch as her two servants 
were strangers to Madam Yardie, it became easy for 
Marguerite to carry out a plan which at once suggested 
itself, on the return of that lady to her former home. 

Of course, had the widow of the deceased Gabriel 
Yardie so elected, she could, by litigation, and in the 
face of public opinion, have laid claim to, and possibly 
gained, some portion of her deceased husband’s 
property. But, to do her justice, no such event as a 
result of any effort, or indeed any desire on her part, 
had entered into Madam Yardie’s Intention. In her 
return home she had been guided partly by a po wer- 
ful but wayward impulse, and partly by some almost 
unconscious faith that she should there find Marguerite 
Kemy ; she having been, as she was aware, taken to 
his home by Gabriel Yardie on the night of their last 
separation. And now, having gained temporary 
respite from her most immediate trouble, and having 


256 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


gained, too, as she fully believed, a friend for all her 
future life. Madam Yardie desired nothing more than 
that she should be entirely concealed from the outside 
world, until such time as she, with Marguerite, might 
seek an asylum where her past life should never be 
known. 

As it happened also, that her own immediate family 
were not residents of Kew York, but lived in a 
southern state — she having first met her late husband 
during a short sojourn at a fashionable place of resort 
— there was no danger of any difficulty arising from 
solicitude on the part of her relatives. Indeed, these 
had, at once and forever, cast her forth out of their 
hearts and out of their recollection, on first hearing of 
the scandal to which her unhappy course had given 
rise. 

As matters stood, therefore, it was easy enough to 
keep Madam Yardie’s identity concealed during the 
short period of time that she need remain where she 
now was; and this, accordingly, was the plan which 
the two had adopted. 

Accoun ting for Madam Yardie’s presence in the house 
and her late and unexpected arrival by some simple 
fiction. Marguerite announced her to her servants 
as an invalid relative of her own ; and as she kept her 
room, being assiduously waited upon by Marguerite 
herself, this theory was very easily sustained. 

The next da3^s passed rapidly with these two. 
There were so many things to be told by each of them, 
and so many confessions to be made by one of them, 
that the hours of the day seemed hardly long enough 
to contain all that they desired to say to each other. 

In their long conversations, they laid bare their 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


257 


hearts as only women who have suffered can to other 
women who have likewise suffered, and who know 
how to sympathize. As to plans for the future, they 
had very little of these. Their only desire, mutually, 
was to go away from the scene of their disaster ; and 
across seas, to seek some quiet place where, in the 
performance of such duties as might come into their 
lives, they might, in the one case atone for previous 
errors, and in the other seek forgetfulness of past 
wrongs. 

Upon one conclusion they both resolved ; that they 
would not return to France. But Vhomrm jpropose et 
Dieu dispose. And ere long. Madam Yardie and Mar- 
guerite — now so mutally dependent the one on the 
other — were to learn that in this world men, and 
women too, never cease to depend, however uncon- 
sciously, upon a power beyond their selection. 

Their present situation, however, lasted only for the 
few days to which we have just referred. 

Then the heirs of the late Gabriel Yardie arrived 
from France ; and presenting themselves before Mar- 
guerite, took up their quarters in the house, and 
prepared to make the legal establishment of their claim 
on the property, in accordance with the will of the 
deceased. But although they courteously and even 
urgently begged Marguerite and her friend to continue 
in the house, as their guests, both were too anxious to 
enter upon the prosecution of their projects for the 
future to acquiesce in their suggestion. 

As was entirely her right. Madam Yardie took 
possession of such clothing and other articles as be- 
longed to her — finding herself also in the possession of 
a considerable sum of money remaining as a portion of 


258 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


her private purse, which she had always sustained, 
even during her married life, through contributions 
made to it by her own family. 

As Marguerite was already prepared for her de- 
parture there was nothing further to do but to decide 
Avhere first to go. The consideration of this point 
resulted in the conclusion to obtain rooms temporarily 
in a quiet hotel in New York, under assumed names, 
and thence at the earliest practicable moment to take 
their departure for Europe — their actual destination 
to remain a subject of consideration for the present. 

Accordingly, only two or three days after the 
arrival of the heirs. Madam Yardie and Marguerite 
crossed over to New York, and after a short search 
succeeded in finding apartments to their liking, and 
established themselves therein. 


CHAFTEE XXYIII. 

THE STORY OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE IN FOURTH STREET. 

It was not until after they had settled in their new 
residence and were awaiting the time for the sailing of 
the vessel upon which they proposed to take their depart- 
ure for Europe, that Marguerite and Madam Yardie 
exchanged full confidence and became, each, perfectly 
acquainted with all of the events in which both had of 
late been concerned. 

It was not until then, in fact, that Madam Yardie 
recounted to Marguerite the story of her last days at 
the old stone house in New ersey, and related to 
her the finding of the body of Claude Yardie ; display- 
ing at the saine time the letter which had produced 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 259 

upon her so serious an effect on the occasion of her 
first seeing it. 

The necessity for secrecy now being removed, 
Marguerite informed her companion of all that she 
knew concerning her own release from the prison in 
which she had been confined in Paris. She also in- 
formed her — and it was the first time that Marguerite 

o 

had ever communicated them to any one — of the true 
facts, as she knew them, involved in the murder of 
Madam Carteret. 

And as these two put together the tissue of circum- 
stantial evidence which began with the incident of 
the powder on the stairs of the Rue Lenoir, continued 
with the statement made by Father Gronevitch in 
the cell of the Conciergerie, criminating the Viscount 
de Valmy, and concluded with the knowledge which 
both now possessed concerning the enforced journey 
of Madam Vardie to Paris and its purpose — as all of this 
chain of evidence, including also the transfer of the 
Malachite Cross from Madam Carteret’s possession to 
that of the Viscount de Valmy, was forged link by 
link by these two, no other conclusion could exist in 
the mind of either, than that the accusation of Father 
Gronevitch and that of the dead Claude Vardie were 
both true. Then a new sentiment was stirred in their 
souls ; and they felt that the next and first purpose of 
their lives would not be fulfilled until justice had been 
done to the real murderer of Madam Carteret, and 
Honore de Valmy had received the punishment which 
was due him. 

iS’ext it occurred naturally both to Maguerite and 
her new friend to go to the house in Fourth street for 
the purpose of making inquiries as to the whereabouts 


260 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


of him who had done them both such deadly injury. 
And, accordingly, on a pleasant afternoon, they 
wended their way from their lodgings to the viscount's 
late residence, and applied at the door for entrance. 

Neither of them could repress a shudder while they 
stood waiting for an answer to their ring, as they 
thought of the last occasion when they had met in 
this house. 

The door was partially opened in a moment, but 
held carefully in hand, as though some one within 
were carefully guarding against intrusion. A little 
figure appeared in the limited opening that was made, 
and a quaint weazened old face, crowned with a thick, 
colored handkerchief, wound around the head in the 
form of a turban, looked inquiringly at them out of a 
pair of bright, black, bead-like eyes. 

In answer to the tacit questioning of this apparition, 
Madam Yardie inquired for him for whom they were 
seeking. - The queer little head was shaken violently, 
and a shrill voice piped out : 

He don’t live here any inore ; he has gone away. 
Nobody here but me now.” 

Madam Yardie then asked for Pierre ; receiving for 
response another violent shaking of the head, and a 
reply : 

‘‘Don’t know him ; don’t know anything about him.” 

The two now conferred together fora moment, when 
a bright idea struck Madam Yardie, and she turned 
hastily to the old creature, who was about shutting 
the door in their faces, and said to her : 

“We would like to see the house. We have been 
told some strange stories in relation to it, and would 
like to talk to you a little about them. Will you 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


261 


not let us in ? ” at the same time slipping a piece of 
money into the hand of the person thus addressed, who, 
after a moment’s study — clutching the coin eagerly, 
however, in the meantime — opened the door just 
widely enough to admit of their entrance ; which, hav- 
ing been effected, it was immediately closed again, and 
at once locked and bolted. Following their guide, 
, who at once preceded them with rapid steps. Marguer- 
ite and Madam Yardie passed along the hall and into 
the library. 

The appearance of this room had been greatly 
changed since its occupancy by the viscount, and since 
the last visit to it made by them. It had, in fact, been 
restored again to its ancient condition. The library 
table and other furniture, tvhich had been placed there 
by the viscount, were now removed ; and the old can- 
opied and curtained bedstead and other articles in 
rosewood, the Chinese screen and old-fashioned orna- 
ments which the viscount had seen in the room when 
he first inspected it, had all been restored to their 
original places, making it quite another apartment 
from what the two visitors remembered, and relieving 
them somewhat of the oppressive and unpleasant 
feeling which would have affected them, had its pres- 
ent condition reminded them more directly of past 
events. 

Tranquilized in mind somewhat by these means, the 
two friends sat down, and had now an opportunity to 
inspect the person whom they found in charge of the 
house. 

This was a very aged woman. That was plain to 
be seen at a glance. Very much beneath even the 
medium height of females — although this resulted 


262 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


probably from her extreme age — her hair was snowy 
white, and her face was one mass of fine wrinkles, which 
lined her cheeks and forehead — whose complexion was 
tawny as an Indian — with fine seams like the furrows 
of an orange ; her form was spare, her hands were 
small and well shaped — but having the skin wrinkled 
and twisted like her face. She was dressed in a plain 
black stuff gown, reaching just to her feet, and had a 
broad folded white handkerchief crossed upon her 
bosom. Her eyes, as we have said, were black and bead- 
like ; but though they were sharp and restless in their 
movement, yet there was something benignant and 
kindly about her entire appearance, which even their 
restless disquietude could not take away. 

One peculiarity, which the two who were now ob- 
serving her noticed after a few moment’s study, was, 
that when she smiled, which was not infrequently dur 
ing their interview — she smiled with her eyes only. 
Her lips never changed from an expression of stern- 
ness and determination which seemed to have been 
fixed there by some incident in her life that must have 
made heavy demands upon her capacity for silence and 
reticence. 

All these observations, which take time to enumer- 
ate, were made in the space of a few seconds ; the old 
lady observing them quite as carefully, and with an 
amused expression, as though she knew perfectly well 
tliat they were mentally taking her picture. 

Answering Madam Yardie’s first questions by say- 
ing that the Viscount de Yalmy had departed from 
New York by ship in the latter part of December, and 
that she had been placed in charge by the agent of the 
house who had filled that position since the death of 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


263 


Gabriel Yardie, she replied to the query delicately 
put, as to her age : 

“ I am almost ninety years old, miss.” 

“ And have you known this house long ? ” asked 
Madam Yardie — who was necessarily the questioner, 
since Marguerite knew but very little English. 

I was born here,” was the old lady’s reply. 

Madam Yardie started at the answer. Now, she 
could certainly learn something of the cause for the ill 
repute in which the house was held by all who knew 
it. 

‘‘ I was born here,” repeated the old housekeeper ; 
“ and as I know the house better than anybody, why, 
whenever it is empty, the owners get me to come and 
stay here and show it to visitors. Perhaps you think 
of hiring, ma’am ? ” 

“Oh, no,” responded Madam Yardie quickly. “My 
friend and I are going abroad in a day or two. 
We used formerly to visit here, sometimes, and felt 
always a curiosity to learn more than we know con- 
cerning the stories which are so frequently told of its 
being haunted.” 

Here the old lady’s eyes twinkled and snapped, and 
looked blacker and more restless than ever. For a 
moment she said nothing. Then : 

“You say you are going away abroad in a day c 
two ? ” 

“Yes,” answered Madam Yardie. 

“ And when do you expect to come back ? ” 

“ Never ! ” 

“ Ah ! ” And she drew a long breath of satisfaction. 
“ Then if you are going away in a day or two and 
are never coming back, I don’t mind telling you 


264 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


something. It is a story — one that was told to me a 
great, great many years ago. I would not like to 
have it known that I told it ; though, after all, seeing 
as I am such an old woman, almost ninety years old, I 
don’t believe anybody would harm me, do you, miss ? ” 

Madam Yardie smiled at the idea of anyone harm- 
ing such a poor old creature as this ; and replied im- 
mediately that such a thing would be impossible. 

‘‘ Exactly so. I don’t mind if I tell you. Besides 
it will be a kind of relief like. For, do you know, I 
never told it to anybody. I have kept it a secret for 
— but, no matter — a great while, anyhow. Well, 
miss,” she continued, “ it was along in the beginning of 
the War of the Be volution. You see, I remember all 
about the revolution, because I lived here — that is, in 
this city — and I remember General Washington, and 
General Howe — he was the British general, miss— and 
a lot more. And I recollect when General Washington 
and his army came in, and General Howe and his 
army went out, and — but, however, that is not of 
much account, now. So you see, miss, this was about 
the last part of the summer, when independence was 
declared — what year was that ? ” she asked. 

“ In 1776,” replied Madam Yardie. 

‘^Yes, just so — fourth of July — so it was. Well, it 
was after that, and General Washington had had a 
fight with the British over on Long Island, and came 
over here in the night from Brooklyn, and the British 
came after him, and so he hurried his men away up as 
far as Harlem ; and General Howe sent some of his 
soldiers after him, but the most of them he kept here, 
and afterward took them over to Hew Jersey — where 
I believe they had another big fight — but I am not as 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


265 


good at remembering history as I was when I was 
younger. However, while the British soldiers were in 
the city, they were distributed around, in some cases 
among the citizens. 

‘‘ Now, the people that lived in this house were well- 
to-do trades-people of the better class, and so it 
happened that the British that were sent here- 
billeted, I think they called it — were officers. There 
were about a dozen of them, but they were not British 
after all, but some outlandish people that the British 
king had hired to come over here and kill off our 
people — I think they called them Kussians or 
Prussians, or something like that.” 

“Hessians,” suggested Madam Yardie. 

“Yes, yes, that was it ; Hessians, to be sure. Well, 
in this house there was an old man and his wife and 
daughter, a young girl. She was about nineteen years 
old, and as people used to call her, very pretty and 
well behaved. And besides that, there was a young 
man who was cousin to this young girl, and was 
engaged to be married to her, and he was a clerk in 
her father’s store. So these Hessian officers were 
here ; and of nights when they hadn't anything to do, 
they used to sit down in the dining-room around a 
big table, and carouse and drink and smoke long pipes, 
and play cards and dice and conduct themselves 
awfully. 

“ Now this was bad enough. But what did they do 
when they hadn’t any other amusement, but go and 
drag this young man, that was a cousin to the girl I 
was telling you of, into their wickedness, their drinking 
and their gambling, until, in spite of all, his uncle and 
aunt, and of even his sweetheart herself — and they 


266 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


did say he loved her — in spite of all this they soon had 
him down there every night, feasting and rioting, as 
noisy as the worst of them. 

“Well, this went on for awhile, and, first and last, 
the young man lost a good deal of money ; for, you 
see, his uncle was rich for those days, and he had 
saved up himself a considerable sum, intending to have 
it when he got married. But after spending all that 
he had himself, and begging all that he could get from 
his uncle, what does he do next, but rob the old man 
of a large sum, and play with that ! Of course, he lost 
it, and then it seems, he got angry and accused some 
of these Hessians of cheating him. Of course, too, 
there was a quarrel then, and I have been told that the 
soldiers didn’t leave it for one to fight out, like men, 
but all attacked him at once. 

“ Anyhow, pretty soon his body was thrown out of 
the room into the hall, and was found by the servants 
with more than twenty cuts and gashes in it, where 
the Hessian officers had struck him and stabbed him 
with their swords. 

“ He was brought in here, and laid on that bed.” 
And here the old woman pointed her skinny forefinger 
at the canopied and curtained rosewood bedstead that 
stood in one corner. But her restless eyes had now 
become fixed ; and, as her mind was carried back to 
the scenes which she was describing — she seemed to 
lose all consciousness of the presence of the two before 
her, who sat with their arms clasped round each other, 
and listened, horror-stricken, to the tale which the poor 
old creature told in her slow, monotonous voice and 
calm, dispassionate way, without hardly even moving 
her lips. 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


m 


^‘They put hira on that bed,” she continued; ‘^and 
they sent for the girl to come and see him, and she 
came into the room and stood right there and looked 
at him.” And again that skinny forefinger pointed to 
a particular spot, as though to emphasize her statement. 
“ And the next thing those Hessian officers did, was 
to send out for a big bowl of punch to finish the night 
with. 

“ You see, they didn’t care anything about killing 
the American. That was what they were paid for 
doing. The girl was standing by the bedside, looking 
at the body of her dead lover, while her father and 
mother were beside her crying and wringing their 
hands. But she never spoke a Avord, until, when the 
servant came running in, and said that the officers had 
sent for a big bowl of punch, she started away from 
the bed, just said : ‘ I will make it for them,’ and was 
out of the room before anybody could stop her. And 
she went down in the kitchen and made that bowl of 
punch. And when she had finished it, she took it her- 
self to the door, and, Avhile the servant opened the 
door, she walked in, and set the bowl of punch on the 
table in the midst of them. 

“ And she looked at each one of them all round the 
table right in the eyes, but said nothing ; until, just as 
she got to the door and Avas going out, she turned and 
said ‘ good-night,’ and Avent out of the room. But as 
she went out, somehow she locked the door Avithout 
any one hearing her, and took the key aAvay Avith her. 

“ Nothing was seen of the Hessian officers, until 
the next morning, AA^hen the serA^ant Avent to the 
dining-room, as usual to clear up the litter, and found 
that the door Avas locked. As she could not get in 


268 


TBE MALACHITE CROSS. 


after knocking a good while, she got frightened and 
roused the old gentleman, who came down and broke 
in the door, and all the Hessian officers were found 
sitting in their armchairs or lying on the floor, and 
every one of them was dead.” 

Madam Yardie was woman of pretty strong nerves, 
but this story tried them severely. Whichever way 
she considered it, either that the horrible tale was true 
in all its dreadful particulars, or that the old woman was 
mad, and imagined it all — either way it was intense, 
dramatic and fearful. And moreover, to those who 
chose to accept it, it certainly explained the mj^stery 
of the haunted house, and the secret of its bad 
reputation. 

With difficulty controlling herself, she thought now 
of getting out of this wretched place. Turning quickly 
to her companion, she spoke to her in French, and 
urged her to hasten, and arose for the purpose of 
taking their departure. 

But the old woman had not finished. Coming close 
beside them, she said, almost in a whisper, ‘‘Don’t be 
frightened, lady ; they will not hurt you. I have lived 
here many times since then, and I am not afraid of 
them.” 

Madam Yardie thought she must say something. 

“ But what became of the young girl ? ” she asked, 
in a voice which she vainly sought to prevent from 
trembling. 

“ She never was heard of again,” answered the old 
woman. “ The old man and his wife were tried by the 
soldiers, but nothing could be found against them. 
And, after awhile they were left in peace. Ho more 
Hessian officers cared to be sent here to live ; and 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


269 


then, you see, times were so exciting that when 
AVashington came hack and the British soldiers went 
away home after the war was over — why, the affair 
had been pretty much forgotten. The old gentleman 
and his wife lived here for some time after that, and 
then they died. 

“ Then, for awhile, the house was a kind of board- 
ing-school for young ladies; and they used to give 
balls and parties here. But about that time, people 
began to talk about ghosts being seen here, and, 
finally, one night when there was a ball or something 
going on, one young lady did see something which 
frightened her so, that she fell down in a fit, and 
died. 

“ And so after that, the house got in bad repute, and 
has never been tenanted a great while at once 
since.’’ 

“ Well,” said Madam Yardie, “I thank you for telling 
me all this, although it is a dreadful story. But it is 
growing late now, and we must go.” 

And so saying, preceded by Marguerite, she passed 
out of the room into the hall, and so on to the front 
door. 

But just as she was stepping out, the old woman put 
forth her wrinkled and bony hand, and seized her by 
the arm, withholding her for a moment, and certainly 
alarming her seriously. 

The poor creature meant no harm, however. She 
only raised herself on tiptoe, the better to reach the ear 
of Madam Yardie, while she said in a loud whisper : 

“ Please don’t mention it, lady ; I was the young girl, 
and I made that punch. ” And, with a strange cackling 
laugh as Madam Yardie escaped from her hand and 


m 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


stepped out upon the doorstep, she closed the door 
behind her and was seen no more. 

Two days after, Madam Yardie and Marguerite 
took passage on an out-going steamer bound to 
Liverpool. 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

IN WHICH THE NECROMANOER’s PREDICTION IS FULFILLED. 

The month which the Countess de Yalmy had an- 
nounced to her son as the time which should elapse 
between his arrival home and his projected marriage, 
was found, after all, to be inadequate for the proper 
accomplishment of the duties necessitated by this 
event. 

Daring the first two weeks, bad weather and the 
continued indisposition of the countess, his mother, 
detained the viscount at Brillet-sur-Loire, although it 
Avas designed that he should precede the party in the 
contemplated journey to Paris, and make there the 
necessary preparations for their proper accommoda- 
tion. At length, however, the viscount was enabled 
to set out on his journey ; and, on arriving in Paris, 
to devote himself to the novel duties, which he had 
assumed — those of major-domo for the occasion — with 
considerable interest and assiduity. 

It was not exactly a pleasant occupation for Honore 
de Yalmy, to open the house in the Rue Lenoir, which 
had been closed ever since the murder of Madam 
Carteret; but he did it nevertheless, and, after the 
first sensation, which was rather of annoyance than 
anything else— certainly it was not remorse — it is 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


271 


doubtful if he experienced any feeling whatsoever in 
relation to the matter in hand. 

He was busy enough in those days. 

There were servants to hire, new furniture to buy, 
the establishment to be renovated and made presenta- 
ble to the aristocratic family of his intended bride — 
and, in fact, a thousand and one such little offices to 
perform, all of which, however, he managed to see 
done with proper regard to the necessities of the case. 

But, besides these new duties which devolved upon 
him, the viscount had found a mission of his own to 
undertake. And this he also found time to carry out, 
although not to success, in the midst of his other bur- 
densome engagements. This mission was nothing less 
than the finding of Pierre, with the view to regaining 
possession of the Malachite Cross. 

In this, as we have said, he was not successful. For, 
though there were certain haunts in Paris known to 
the viscount as being customarily frequented by his 
valet when in town, and certain persons with whom he 
Avas familiar on such occasions, search at the former, 
and application to the latter availed the viscount noth- 
ing in the direction of carrying out his purpose. 

And while De Yalmy had no knowledge whatever 
nor any suspicion of Pierre’s acquaintance with Father 
Gronevitch, still, from general confidence in the secret 
and mysterious powers of the necromancer, he sought 
him also, Avith the hope of gaining some light on the 
whereabouts of his servant — not designing, hoAvever, 
to communicate to him the fact of the loss of the am- 
ulet. But his application at the door in the house in 
the Kue des Juives Avas met with the assurance from 
Father Gronevitch’s servant that his master Avas ab- 
sent from the city on a prolonged journey. 


272 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Bafiied thus in all his attempts to regain possession 
of the Malachite Cross, or even to obtain any knowl- 
edge of its present hiding-place, the viscount gave up 
his search, and abandoned further consideration of the 
subject. 

In this he was now aided by the arrival of the vari- 
ous members of the two families of De Valmy and De 
Vaugirard at the house in the Rue Lenoir, and soon 
found his time and thoughts fully occupied in 
attendance on his prospective bride, and in answering 
to the various requisitions which the situation imposed 
upon him. 

The numerous delays to which we have alluded, re- 
sulted in the postponement of the preliminary and 
legal offices of the marriage to the fifthteenth of March, 
when these were to take place as appointed, in the 
residence of the late Madam Carteret. 


The morning of the fifteenth of March opened cheer- 
fully, and presented a sunshiny aspect, as befitted the 
important ceremony which was to mark its connection 
with the De Yalmy family and interests. 

But early in the day there blew up a cold, driving 
wind, while overhanging clouds seemed to threaten an 
approaching storm, and cast a melancholy and gloom- 
ful shadow over everything — even impressing with a 
painful weight, almost amounting to presentiment, the 
spirits of the persons who were gathered together in 
the great drawing-room of the house in the Rue 
Lenoir. 

The occasion being an important and an imposing 
one, there were present, beside the immediate families 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


273 


of the two noble houses directly concerned, representa- 
tives of many of the aristocratic families of the 
Faubourg St. Germain, who, in these, the waning days 
of monarchy in France, felt the necessity of sustaining 
by their presence the members of the old noblesse on 
such occasions as this. 

Despite his scmg-froid^thQ V'iscount de Yalmy 
could not divest himself, on this occasion, of a feel- 
ing of constraint and lowness of spirits, utterly foreign 
to his usual sensations. It was probably owing to Ibis 
fact that an incident of the scene made a deeper im- 
pression upon his mind and more seriously disturbed 
him than it otherwise would. 

He was standing by his betrothed and conversing 
with her and his mother who sat beside her, when, in 
an interval of general silence in the apartment, a 
strange noise was heard Avithout and at one side of the 
building, which at once attracted his attention. 
Commencing in a Ioav moan, it gradually rose and 
increased in volume, until it seemed like the howl of 
some animal in distress. And as to the first were 
presently added cries in different keys, but all possess- 
ing the same characteristics of lamentation and pain^ 
the attention not only of the viscount, but of others in 
the room was presently engaged by the sounds, and to 
that extent, that when the viscount turned to his 
mother and questioned her as to what these mysterious 
noises portended and whence they arose, many listened 
to hear the answer. 

The Countess de Yalmy shrugged her shoulders 
slightly, and said, “It is one of the bequests of your 
poor aunt, Honore.” 

“ Please explain, said the viscount.” 


274 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“Well, you see, your aunt, my unfortunate sister, 
was of so benevolent and charitable a nature, that she 
even extended her kindness and beneficence to dumb 
animals ; and, in the latter years of her life, she used 
to have numbers of dogs come to her daily for food.” 

“Yes, yes, mother,” interrupted the viscount 
hastily ; “ I am aware of all this. In fact, I have seen 
her extending her charity toward a number of these 
animals on one occasion when I visited her. But 
surely they have not continued their visits since her 
death.” 

“Ho, not exactly,” said the countess. “In fact, 
although they did come here very punctually for some 
time after the death of my unfortunate sister, and even, 
I understand, after the house was closed — their number 
dwindled away, and their visits finally ceased alto- 
gether. But since the house has been reopened, I am 
informed, that one after another they have returned, 
each day with additions to their forces, until at last I 
believe, there are perhaps quite as many as formerly.” 

“But what can be their object in coming? Surely 
they have not been fed here, have they ? ” asked th e 
viscount, with some manifestation of acerbity in his 
speech. 

“Well, you know, Honore, I could not but remem- 
ber that they were in a measure, my poor sister’s 
wards. And as we were only to be here for a short 
time, I ordered the servant to feed them occasionally. 
But I presume likely the office has been neglected or 
forgotten, which will account for their present noisy 
mood.” 

On hearing this an ejaculation slipped from the vis- 
count’s lips — which was certainly petulant, if nothing 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


275 


worse — and he made a hasty step forward ; but what- 
ever action he might have contemplated, he was 
obliged to postpone it, since at the moment, the parties 
were called upon to affix their signatures to the legal 
papers which had been prepared, and were now in the 
hands of the notary awaiting them. 

Eestraining, therefore, his intention, if any he had, 
the viscount accompanied the Countess de Yaugirard 
to the table, behind which sat the notary, having be- 
fore him a formidable collection of papers and 
documents. The two parties to the contract which 
was about to be signed, who \vere accompanied by the 
near relatives of each, presently formed a group to- 
gether and the necessary formalities were about to 
proceed. 

At this moment, however, a movement was heard 
without the room ; and presently a servant hurriedly 
entered, and approaching the Countess de Yalmy, 
extended toward her a silver salver upon which was a 
note. Explaining to her, in a low voice, that the 
message was urgent, the domestic waited for a reply. 
The countess excused herself for a moment to those 
about her, and retiring to one side of the room, broke 
the envelope hastily and perused its contents. 

It was noticed by several who Avere observing the 
Countess de Yalmy at this moment, that she turned 
deadly pale and pressed her hand to her side, as if in 
pain. Turning to the servant she said : “ Desire the 
bearer of this note and his companions to enter.” The 
servant proceeded upon his errand. 

In the meantime, the papers which had been pre- 
pared by the notary were being read aloud in a low 
voice by that official, and as the Countess de Yalmy’s 


276 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


change of position and her subsequent action had 
occupied only a moment, they were not observed by 
the principal actors in this scene of our drama, hfor 
did these observe that a moment after the return of 
the countess to her former position, several persons 
entered the room silently, and drew near to the 
central group about the table. 

The reading was at length completed, and the 
notary said in a loud voice : “ Emilie, Countess de 
Yaugirard, the various parties concerned directly or 
indirectly in the legal contract of marriage now before 
you, having given their, consent to all the provisions of 
the same, you will please adv^ance and affix your 
signature thereunto in accordance with the require- 
ments of the law of France.” 

The young lady, blushing and tremulous, advanced 
accordingly, and taking the pen from the hand of the 
notary, prepared to sign her name — but the movement 
extended no further. 

For at this moment a deep, stern voice was heard to 
speak, uttering these words : 

‘^In behalf of the noble family of De Yaugirard, I 
protest against the prosecution of this contract of 
marriage between a daughter of that house and the 
illegitimate son of the Count de Yalmy, whom I 
further declare to be the murderer of the late Madam 
de Carteret, a forger, seducer, and escroc^ and against 
whom I stand ready to produce evidence of the truth 
of all these charges.” 

At the first sound of that terrible voice, the group 
about the table had opened, while all in the room 
turned their gaze upon the features of the venerable 
man, who seemed to have come forth out of the 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


277 


ground to blast with liis cruel charges a noble name 
and a spotless reputation. 

Struck dumb with horror, the young Countess de 
Yaugirard fainted, and sunk senseless in the arms of 
her mother, who stood behind her. 

With a cry of anguish the Countess de Yalmy 
rushed to the side of her son, and flung her arms about 
him, as though some terrible intuition had transflxed 
her, and she would protect him from coming ruin and 
disgrace. 

Eecognizing Father Gronevitch in his accuser, the 
Yiscount de Yalmy was for a moment paralyzed with 
astonishment and apprehension. An accomplice in his 
crime, he had never dreamed that the necromancer of 
the Eue des Juives Avould have dared to cast the mur- 
der of Madam Carteret at his door. But since the 
charge was made, and he knew too well what evidence 
lay behind it, there was, in fact, nothing for him to 
do. Kecrimination would have availed him nothing — 
nothing, at this terrible moment. 

And then, beyond this, was the fearful assertion 
which he had now heard for the first time, of his 
illegitimacy. 

He was silent, confounded, dumb. 

Hot so, however, his father. 

Flinging aside rudely those who stood in his path, 
he almost preci])itated himself upon the form of the 
old man, while he cried out to him : “ Who are you, 
madman that you are, who dares thus falsely accuse 
the Yiscount de Yalmy? Who dares to say that my 
son is illegitimate ? ” 

Father Gronevitch faced him, his powerful frame 
trembling as though it were racked with the convul- 
sions of some fearful passion. 


278 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


“ Look at me closely, Armand de Yalmy,” at length, 
he said ; “ let your memory go back forty-five years, 
and remember Lisette Gravier.” 

Turning to those about him, who stood spellbound 
and breathless, listening for what should come next, the 
old man said : “ She was my promised wife, ladies and 
gentlemen. This scoundrel seduced her. But while 
he had the cunning and malignity to carry out his fell 
purpose to its fullest extent, he lacked the brain to 
consummate it without danger to himself. He mar- 
ried her.’’ 

“ It is as false as hell ! ” cried the viscount. 

“ It is true as God ! ” responded Father Gronevitch, 
lifting his right hand and pointing upward. “ I have 
liere, ladies and gentlemen” — and he drew from his 
breast a package of yellow, time-stained papers — “I 
have here a contract of marriage, signed by the Count 
Armand de Yalmy, and witnessed according to law.” 

The count flung himself upon the old man, and 
would have seized the papers. 

Some one caught his arms, and restrained him, 
while whispering in his ear an admonition to beware, 
lest he should ruin himself by his own hasty action. 

Lisette Gravier had a child — the son of the Count 
de Yalmy — born in wedlock. That child still lives, 
and is the heir and the rightful owner of the name of 
De Yalmy.” 

The viscount had stood clasped in the arms of his 
mother, but silent still, until the full meaning of the old 
man’s words had burst upon him. Now, however, he 
shook himself free of her embrace, and would have 
rushed upon Father Gronevitch, but that the next 
Avords of the necromancer caught his ear and chained 
him to the spot Avhereon he stood. 


TBE MALACHITE CROSS. ^^9 

‘‘That child still lives,’’ continued Father Grone- 
vitch. “ Behold him ! ” 

And here he drew some one forward by the hand, 
and the astounded viscount saw his own valet usurp- 
ing, as it were, his place and position. 

‘‘I hereby declare and can prove that this man, 
Pierre, late valet to the Viscount de Yalmy, is the 
first and only legitimate child of the Count de 
Yalm}^, and the rightful heir to his estates.” 

Hurrying his speech so rapidly that neither the 
count nor his son could farther interfere. Father 
Gronevitch went on : ‘‘I charge the Viscount de 
Yalmy with the murder of Madam de Carteret. I 
accuse myself of having assisted him in this crime to 
that extent that I furnished him with the poisonous 
powder which he used in completing it; knowing 
nothing, however, I swear, of the use to which he 
intended to put it. I am ready to produce in evidence 
of the truth of my accusation ” — and here he stepped 
one side, to permit the figure of a woman to be seen 
by the notary — ‘‘this woman. Marguerite Kemy, 
falsely charged with this murder, imprisoned and sen- 
tenced to death therefor, who escaped from her prison 
on the night of the sixteenth of October last, but who 
has now returned to face the murderer in his own land, 
and bring him to justice. I further accuse the vis- 
count of seducing in America, the wife of a French 
merchant, Gabriel Yardie, having previously killed 
her husband in a duel. I produce the lady before you.” 

And here Madam Yardie stepped forward, lifting 
her veil from before her face as she did so, and stood 
by the side of Marguerite Kem\% around whose neck 
she threw one arm, as if by this gesture she would 


280 


TEE MALAGEITE CROSS. 


signify that these two stood together now and hence- 
forward in self-defense and accusation against the 
wickedness of the Yiscount de Yalmy, and to prose- 
cute him for his crimes until justice should be done 
him. 

“I further accuse the Yiscount de Yalmy of having 
forged the endorsement of a Kew York merchant to a 
note of hand for a large amount— having escaped ar- 
raignment for felony on this account, only by accident. 
Concerning all these charges and accusations, I stand 
ready, at the proper time, to produce the necessary 
evidence, and I demand that the Yiscount de Yalmy 
be at once arrested and held under the law to answer 
for his crimes. ” 

And looking over his shoulder toward the door of 
the drawing-room. Father Gronevitch cried out, in a 
loud voice : “ Officers of the law, enter and do your 
duty. ” 

Four officers entered the room at that moment, and 
Father Gronevitch turned to point out to them their 
prisoner. 

Honore de Yalmy, seeing himself crushed and beaten 
down by the weight of obloquy which had been thus 
virulently poured forth upon him by his new and un- 
expected enemy, had given up the contest. 

While the others had been engrossed in atten- 
tion to what the necromancer was saying, he had 
slipped out of the room unseen and unnoticed. 

Looking about him for a moment, and at once un- 
derstanding what had taken place. Father Gronevitch 
said : 

“ Bear witness, you. Monsieur Notary, and you, ladies 
and gentlemen, that the so-called Yiscount de Yalmy 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


281 


has taken flight in the face of my charges against him, 
thereby acknowledging their truth. Officers, I leave 
the apprehension of this criminal in your hands.” 

The sergeants de ville left the room hurriedly, and 
Father Gronevitch was silent. 

As was every one else in the room. 

For a moment, no one Avas ready to break this 
silence. But just then the Count de Yalmy, Avho 
must have left the apartment in company with his son 
or immediately after him, hurriedly re-entered, holding 
in his hand a package of papers. 

Approaching the table he said in a Ioav voice : 

“ As to certain of these charges which this old man 
has uttered against my son, they Avill unquestionably 
be refuted at a proper time and place. But as to that of 
his illegitimacy, I am prepared to disprove it here and 
now. An examination of those papers, ” he continued, 
addressing the notary, “ will show you, sir, that the 
child to whom this person has alluded as the son of 
his wife — born Lisette Gravier — died on my estate in 
Touraine a year after its birth ; and further, that the 
man Pierre, whom he supposes to have been this child, 
is the natural son of one of my farm-servants, and Avas 
born at about the same time as the one to Avhom I refer. 
I took special precautions to have these facts properly 
recorded, and you have there the certificates of baptism 
and of death, duly attested. These papers have been 
in the possession of my Avife’s sister, the late Madam 
Carteret, ever since they were executed ; until her death, 
being kept in one of the drawers of an ebony cabinet, 
Avhich formerly stood in the room in which Ave noAV 
are, but which she had removed to her bedroom a 
short time before she died. ” 


m 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


The count was silent ; and rising to his feet, the 
notary said : “ On examination of these papers, I find 
them to contain all the facts that the Count de Yalmy 
has mentioned.” 

Father Gronevitch said nothing in response to this, 
for, at the same moment, the Duke de Yaugirard rose 
from the chair wherein he had been sitting — an atten- 
tive listener during the whole of this scene — and 
addressed the Count de Yalmy. 

“ It is with great regret,” he said, “ that I am forced 
by this terrible and unexpected catastrophe, to recede 
at once and permanent!}^ on the part of my daughter, 
from the contract which we had undertaken. Extend- 
ing to yourself and family my warmest sympathy in 
your misfortune, I will, if you please, make immediate 
preparations for retiring from your dwelling.” 

The duke, accordingly, bowing to all those present, 
and followed by the members of his own family, passed 
out of the room. Pausing, however, as he reached 
Father Gronevitch he took him by the hand, saying: 
“I beg that you will communicate with me, that I 
may thank you properly for being the means of com- 
pleting the task which you set yourself when you first 
spoke, that of protecting by your protest, the honor of 
my family.” 

To this the necromancer made answer that he would 
avail himself of the duke’s request in due time ; and 
being at that moment called upon by the notary to 
come forward, and give his name and address for 
future use, he did so. 

We seem to have forgotten Pierre all this time. 

That unfaithful servant, when he saw that which- 
ever way the contest might turn, it could benefit him 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


m 

nothing, fled from the scene, and was heard of no 
more. At the moment when the notary was taking 
down the name and residence of Father Gronevitch, a 
confused sound was heard, proceeding from the direc- 
tion of the courtyard, which lay on the right of the 
drawing-room in which the incidents which we have 
just recounted had occurred. 

The sound was the same as that which had attracted 
the attention of the guests previous to the entrance of 
Father Gronevitch, only now it was much louder, and 
increasing. The hoAvling and fierce barking of a 
multitude of dogs now filled the air, above which, at 
this moment, could be heard the terrible shriek of a 
human being. 

Rising from his seat, followed by Father Gronevitch 
and accompanied by all of the guests who had not 
already retired, the notary hurried out of the room 
into the hall, and through the passageway and side 
entrance, to a door which led into the courtyard. 
Opening this, they left the house, crossed the court- 
yard with hurried steps and terror-stricken counte- 
nances as the howls greAv more fierce, and the shrieks 
more faint and piteous, and reached the great gate 
which opened therefrom into the small side street. 
This gate was only partially closed, having apparently 
been recently opened to permit of the egress of some 
one. ThroAving it suddenly back, Avhat Avas the horror 
of the assembled groups at the sight Avhich met their 
eyes ! 

Before them, a mass of ferocious, gaunt and starving 
dogs, of various breeds, fought about some object 
Avhich lay in the midst of them upon the stone paA^e- 
ment. 


284 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


Here were bloodhounds from Alsace, wolf-dogs from 
the Forest of Ardennes, terriers, sheep-dogs, mastiffs, 
St. Bernard dogs, greyhounds, setters and mongrel 
curs. 

Here were in fact all or nearly all of Madam 
Carteret’s pensioners. 

But whether of late they had been illy fed, or 
whether from their previous starvation their feeding 
had availed them little, they were now hungry, blood- 
thirsty and savage. They bit at each other, they 
gnashed their bloody fangs together in the air when 
they failed to reach their prey, and. always thej^ 
snapped and snarled at the dark object on the stone 
pavement beneath them. 

The departure of the assembled guests from the 
drawing-room had been observed by the servants ; and 
now several of these, armed with sticks and whips, 
hastened after them, and sought to drive away the 
dogs from him against whom they had brought to bear 
their animosity or their anger. But the nature of the 
sentiment which actuated these fierce animals could 
not be misunderstood by one who has thoughtfully 
perused this story. 

For when, at last, the servants of the house had 
succeeded in driving them away — and this was after 
considerable effort and severe attack — it was found 
that the dark object about which they had been 
gathered was the body of the Yiscount Honore de 
Yalmy. 

To the last, he had fought with the same tenacity of 
purpose which had actuated his entire life ; and to the 
latter he had clung with that vitality which had 
carried him through many a danger. But the hour 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


^85 


of bis merited punishment bad come at last. Torn to 
pieces by bis ancient enemies, the recipients of the 
bounty of his murdered relative, the murderer remem- 
bered, ere his eyes closed and his senses failed him, the 
words which he had heard from him whom he now 
knew to be his bitterest enemy — Father Gronevitch : 

“ When the hour comes whose fearful reality shall 
bring to your memory the full horror of the scene you 
have just witnessed, j'ou shall know why I have not 
obtained for myself the Malachite Cross, and why I 
have permitted it to be possessed by you.” 

The horrors of the secret chamber of the necro- 
mancer of the Kue des Juives could not have been 
manifested by any other means to the memory of the 
Viscount de Yalmy, as they were manifested now. 
lie knew now that the necromancer had permitted him 
to gain possession of the Malachite Cross, that he 
might the better, by this means, compass his destruc- 
tion ; and that he had not retained possession of it him- 
self, fearing lest that property in the cross, which 
made it finally perilous to its owner, should involve 
himself in destruction. 

The body of the Viscount de Valmy was lifted from 
the ground and carried by the servants into the house, 
and laid upon the bed once occupied by Madam 
Carteret. 


CHAPTER XXX. 

“and the greatest of these is charity.” 

But the Viscount de Valmy was not dead. 

Torn and gashed by the fangs of the famished brutes 
whose rage had at last found him out, he lay for days 


286 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


insensible and almost breathless, while tender nurses 
about him, aided by careful and conscientious medical 
skill, sought to retrieve his broken and bruised body, 
and retain therein the sj)ark of life so nearly gone out. 

And they did this — but only this. 

And when the viscount had been restored to sensi- 
bility, it was found that the wreck of his body had 
been accompanied by the ruin of his mind. He was a 
hopeless though passionless maniac. 

The Duke de Yaugirard and his family had retired 
to their estates in Touraine ; and during those days of 
agonized watching and waiting on the part of the 
Count and Countess de Yalmy, they had been 
sustained only by the presence of those two, against 
whose peace of mind and happiness the viscount had 
wrought so wickedly and so successfully. Seeing the 
punishment which had fallen upon him whom they 
had both loved so passionately only such a little while 
before. Marguerite and Madam Yardie had willingly 
and assiduously devoted themselves to his restoration, 
at the earnest and tearful request of his mother. And 
now, when this restoration had been effected, so far as 
human skill and human devotion could complete it, it 
was not unnatural that the Countess de Yalmy should 
be filled with gratitude toward her son’s victims, and 
should strive, so far as in her lay, to display this 
gratitude by some tangible act which might fully 
demonstrate its existence. 

Crushed down to the ground by the saddening 
events which had occurred in her life, and by the dis- 
grace which had been effected therein, the scene where 
all this had come to pass, chiefly, could not but be dis- 
tasteful and even hateful to her. All idea of ever 


THE MALACHITE GROSS. 


287 


using again the house of Madam Carteret for her 
residence had departed from her ; and it was, in fact, 
easy for her to perform her act of gratitude precisely 
in the way which she selected. 

The question of “ The King vs. Marguerite Remy, 
in the matter of the murder of Madam Carteret,” 
having been reopened 'in the proper court in view of 
the new evidence presented, was closed when the 
mental condition of the Yiscount de Yalmy had been 
finally testified to b}^ experts appointed by the crown 
for that purpose. A special act of clemency on the 
part of the king rescinded the sentence of Marguerite 
Remy, and promulgated publicl}^ her innocence. 
By this act, also, the demented viscount was permitted 
to remain in the charge of his family — the law recog- 
nizing his mental alienation as possibly of longer dura- 
tion than appeared, and as not improbably the secret 
cause of his crime. 

As soon as the legal formalities requisite in the case 
had been completed, and as soon, also, as the physical 
health of their son would permit of the change being 
made, the Count and Countess de Yalmy took their 
departure from Paris for Brillet-sur-Loire, accompanied 
by the viscount, in charge of a competent medical 
attendant. 

But previous to this departure, she had assigned 
over to Marguerite Remy and Madam Yardie jointly, a 
life-interest in the house in the Rue Lenoir, accompanied 
by a sufficient annual income to enable these two to 
prosecute a plan which had been gradually forming in 
the minds of both of them, and had finally become a 
settled conclusion on their part. 

This plan involved nothing less than the establish- 


288 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


ment of a charitable institution. Both Marguerite and 
her friend had, b\^ this time, determined to devote 
their future lives to the prosecution of a benevolent 
enterprise ; and, aided by the generosity of the Count- 
ess de Yalmy, they were enabled to undertake this 
upon a scale which promised large and important 
fruits in the future. 

Here they sought to gather about them the lost and 
fallen of their own sex, and to formulate out of what 
might be left in the lives of those unfortunates, such 
elements as should perchance combine to retrieve their 
past and assure their future. 


During those days, in which the reopened case of 
Marguerite Bemy was being entertained by the law. 
Father Gronevitch had held himself in readiness for 
such demand as should, of necessity, be made upon him 
for evidence therein. 

It Avould appear from the records of this case, 
that the aged necromancer himself did not fail to fall 
under suspicion. Sustained, however — whether by 
good fortune or by other aid, it is not given to us to 
know — he succeeded in evading all personal respon- 
sibility and establishing a belief in his innocence of all 
personal interest in the crime of the Yiscount de Yalmy, 
and, indeed, of all personal connection therewith, other 
than he had himself admitted — viz.: the having inno- 
cently provided the murderer with the means of per- 
petrating the act. 

Father Gronevitch had felt no fear whatever as to 
the ultimate result of the establishment of his connec- 
tion with the case ; and yet during the days in which 


THE MALACHITE GR08L. 


289 


the question was in doubt, he had not ceased to be 
racked and tormented with anxieties and trepidation. 

But this condition of his mind was occasioned by 
(juite a different cause from that alluded to heretofore. 
It resulted, in truth, from no other occasion than 
from his possession of the Malachite Cross. For while 
the necromancer felt no concern as to his complete 
capacity to destroy the malevolent principle existing 
in the amulet, which might otherwise be awakened for 
his destruction, yet he felt the insecurity of delay. 

And so it was a glad day for him, when, dismissed 
at last from all further necessary contribution to the 
case of Madam Carteret, he could bestow all his 
attention and devote all his time to the task which 
now lay before him. 

Set free now from all fears and forebodings, he shut 
himself up in his laboratory, and wrought day and 
night among his chemicals, toiling laboriously and 
with all his heart and soul engrossed in his occupation, 
to wring from alchemy her secret for controlling the 
forces which lay dormant in the Malachite Cross — only 
awaiting the direction of the master power to free it- 
self and compass his annihilation. 

The studies, which Father Gronevitch had followed 
during the years which he had passed in the Orient, had 
acquainted him with many of the secrets of antiquity. 
Through these, he had been enabled to gain for his 
own uses the advantages which in ancient times had 
given to Chaldean alchemists and the Egyptian sooth- 
sayers supernatural and superhuman influence in the 
acts and occurrences of tliis life. 

How, he sought to turn this remote knowledge to 
his advantage— and it seemed with good promise of 
success. 


290 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


At least, one looking upon the old man as he labored 
over his crucibles, his seven times heated furnace, his 
mystery of symbolism and geometric equation, and all 
the other paraphernalia with which he had surrounded 
himself for the prosecution of this, his final and most 
important task — one seeing this, would have judged 
from his exultant manner, that he felt confidence in his 
own powers and assurance of gaining his end. 

But still he toiled on. Day followed night, and night 
day, and with hardly respite for proper sustenance, he 
continued his task. 

This had nearly reached completion at last. The 
magic power which was to break the spell that forages 
had been the secret impulse of the Malachite Cross — 
the wonderful energy which had been clutched from 
out the secrets of nature to compass this thing, was 
nearly perfected in its completeness — nearly ready to 
his hand. 

But a little thing changed all this. 

It was past midnight. 

Closely engrossed in his work, the old man had 
neglected the lamp by whose light he labored. 

Seeing the light waning, and unwilling to pause and 
distract his attention by refilling the vessel, he took in 
his hand the simple and concentrated form into which 
his experiments had now resolved themselves, and 
retired with this from his laboratory to the apartment 
now so well known to the reader as that in which the 
Viscount de Yalmy and Madam Yardie had each, at 
different times, held interviews with the necromancer. 

Bestowing himself beside the table which faced the 
wide-mouthed fireplace. Father Gronevitch continued 
the subtle analysis which wa§ finally to evolve the 
charni wMch he needed, 


THE MALACHITE CROSS, 


291 


Thick beads of perspiration stood upon the old man’s 
brow, and coursed each other down his furrowed 
cheeks. 

The fire flamed up the wide chimney, and flashed 
upon the silver candelabra, and upon the grotesque, 
carved furniture. 

In their separate cages, the beasts and birds and 
reptiles, which still comprised the companionship and 
fit symbolism of the necromancer and his works, still 
pursued their customary ways, and presented them- 
selves in their usual horrible occupation. 

But somehow — whether it was that the unaccustomed 
coming of the oJd man had startled them or not — 
somehow, one and all seemed to become suddenly 
awakened to a sense of something distasteful or 
inimical in his presence. Under this influence, what- 
ever it might have been, their movements became 
rapid and noisy — yet these were unperceived by 
Father Gronevitch. 

Some strange sentiment, as of terror, seemed to 
have been at once aroused in all of these hideous crea- 
tures ; and as each had awakened from the sleep in 
which the entrance of Father Gronevitch had surprised 
them, they began to manifest every evidence of almost 
human affright and consternation. 

The gaunt gray wolf flung itself in abject fear into 
one corner of its cage, and cowered and trembled. 
The hyena lost its savage aspect and assumed, instead, 
a ghastly expression of more than mortal terror. 
The poisonous serpents turned restlessly, and sought 
in vain in every direction for some hole or crevice 
through which to escape from the imaginary fear 
which perplexed them. The great apes — savage 


292 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


beyond their kind— chattered with each other and 
fairly wept as they strove to hide themselves, the one 
behind the other. 

Yet the old man, bending silent and engrossed over 
the delicate process which he was seeking to execute, 
saw none of these, knew nothing of all this unnatural 
action which was going on around him. 

As we said in an earlier chapter, one fangless snake 
in the necromancer’s collection had the freedom of the 
room. “He is perfectly harmless,” had been the 
response of Father Gronevitch to a (juestion asked by 
the Viscount de Valmy. 

Fiow, the harmlessness of this snake was to be tried. 
Awakened, too, as the other venomous creatures, out 
of his torpor and his stagnation, by the light, and the 
entrance of Father Gronevitch — both unaccustomed 
at this hour — the ser|)ent withdrew himself from his 
coil and noiselessly glided across the Jloor to the 
necromancer’s feet. Thence still uni)erceived by the 
toiling alchemist, he crept, as was his custom, along 
the latter’s person and reared his head above his 
shoulder. 

At this moment, great cries began to be emitted from 
the different cages. The restless and terror-occasioned 
impulse which had attacked their inmates simultane- 
ously, now rose to its acme. 

The serpent continued his gliding movement, and 
presently reached the table, across which he proceeded 
by slow undulations to project himself. In the course 
of this movement his head reached the small vessel in 
which the necromancer was perfecting his analysis. At 
this moment, the latter perceived him ; and with a 
muttered imprecation, stretched forth his hand to seize 
and remove him. 


TBE MALACHITE GROSS. 


293 


It was too late. 

A slight writhing motion on the part of the snake 
had overturned one vessel, and precipitated its contents 
in deadly admixture with those of the other. 

With a cry of horror Father Gronevitch sprang 
from his seat. At that instant, a blue flame shot 
up from the table, a terrific explosion was heard, 
and in an instant more, and while the sharp shrieks 
of the imperiled old man were heard far above the no 
less harrowing outcries of the maddened creatures 
about him, the apartment became filled with fire. 

It seemed as if a hundred conflagrations were lighted 
up at once. And when, in a moment more. Father 
Gronevitch had rushed frantically to a window opening 
upon the street, to cry aloud for assistance, he was 
already enveloped in flames. 

With one last despairing effort of strength, he dashed 
the casement to the street. Beneath the windows 
there had already collected a crowd of citizens, called 
from all directions by the sudden bursting forth of fire 
from the house in the Kue des Juives. 

Meanwhile, the flames crept along the floor and 
across the ceiling, and seized the cages wherein were 
confined the howling vermin whose outcries made the 
occasion hideous and alarming to the- populace with- 
out. Flying in rapid fury of terror from the enemy 
behind them, the maddened beasts dashed forth from 
their cages, across the apartment, to the very casement 
at which Father Gronevitch was still vainly imploring 
succor. Hurling themselves upon him — as though 
from some occult prescience of his connection with 
their lamentable condition — their added weight carried 
with it the now burning woodwork of the window, and 


294 


TBE MALACHITE CROSS. 


the entire mass of flaming and shrieking life was flung 
down into the crowd below. 

A stampede from the neighborhood of the burning 
building ensued ; and now, with unprecedented rapid- 
ity, rafters and beams and flooring became encom- 
passed with fire, until, in so short a space of time that it 
almost seemed miraculous, the entire structure fell 
upon itself and lay there a mass of smoldering ruins. 

On the pavement just outside this, surrounded by 
the burned and dead carcasses of his ancient comrades, 
the body of the necromancer lay, crushed and distorted, 
prostrate in death. 


On the following morning, half Paris seemed to have 
collected in and about the little Pue des Juives to gaze 
upon the scene of the fearful tragedy of the preceding 
night. 

Among the mass of people in every grade of life, 
and threading their way through the opening which 
was everywhere respectfully made for them, there ap- 
])eared two women, clad in the costume of the Sisters 
of Charity. 

They were Marguerite Kemy and Madam Yardie. 

Reaching the immediate vicinity of the spot where 
had occurred the final catastrophe of this horrible inci- 
dent, these two came upon the body of Father Grone- 
vitch, which had not been removed by the sergeants 
de ville. 

Stooping over the corpse, the one recognized, in his 
burned and distorted features, him who had appeared 
to her in the prison of the Conciergerie. 

From the other, his appearance elicited no recognition, 


THE MALACHITE CROSS. 


295 


other than the dim memory of what might have been 
the phantasm of a dream. 

In one hand, the old man held something which 
neither the fire, nor the terror, nor the destruction of 
his hopes had driven him to surrender. 

Yet when Marguerite Remy clasped and opened that 
hand, it gave up easily, and, as it almost seemed, will- 
ingly, its contents. 

“ Its color was a light sea-green, its polish like that 
of an emerald, and as the flames from the Are and the 
candle flashed upon it, it seemed to fill the room with 
a pale radiance, as of sunlit verdure, or the translucent 
wave.” 

Now the color and radiance had departed from it. 

But in losing these by reason of the vivid transmu- 
tations through which it had passed, it had gained. 
For now, pure, w^hite, and unblemished, in its passage 
through fire — cleansed from its malevolent powers, 
and sacred forev-er in the future as the sign and 
symbol of charity and humanity, it lay in Marguerite’s 
hand, w^hite as the driven snow. 

It was the Malachite Cross. 


THE END. 


THE SHADOW OF DESIRE. 


BY 

OSOOOU. 

“The Shadow of Desire” is redeemed from being commonplace by the 
character of the heroine. Ruth Bronson is real and worth describing. She 
is an example of what the French describe as "la femme a te 77 tper ament a 
woman of excellent principles, who is brought into trouble by the undue 
strength of her physical passion. This characteristic, without being offens- 
ively insisted on, is very subtly brought out in the story by constant touches, 
and especially by the part played by the villain in her fortunes. Very effect- 
ive too, is the gradual way in which her frivolous nature is weaned to noble 
aspirations by the unobtrusive devotion and magnanimity of her husband”. 

Athencetim^ Londo7i, J7ily %th^ 1893, 

“The Shadow of Desire is largely a society story, with too strong a 
suggestion of the French novel about it to suit every taste, but it is a work 
of considerable power, and the authoress has given us some cleverly drawn 
sketches of fashionable life. The word painting in places is very good and 
the description of hunting and other country pastimes will commend it to 
many readers. It is to be trusted that the authoress of this rather fascinating- 
little story will favor us with some other works of equal merit”. 

Herts Advertiser, Hert for shire, E/igla/id, June 24M, 1893. 

We wish we could say as much for the tone of Mrs. J. C. Osgood’s 
new book— it can hardly be a first attempt, though we lack definite knowledge 
to the contrary — as for certain literary qualities which mark its composi- 
tion; for example, those of successful character delineation and, in still high- 
er degree, of graphic narration. These qualities — and they are of course 
all important in the novelist’s art — reveal themselves on almost every page”. 

Hertfordshire Express. Hertfordshire, July 8M, 1893. 

“The Shadow of Desire” is a novel written by an American lady well 
known in English society. The scene is laid both in America and in -vari- 
ous countries of Europe, and the characters depicted are said to be portraits 
of some of the leaders of society in the New and Old worlds which will be 
readily recognized by those — who are acquainted with them. 

South Afnerican Journal. Londoit^ Engla7id, Jti7te Ylth, 1893 


“The Shadow of Desire” is written on the lines of the usual society 
novel, the scene shifting from Europe to America, and every page betraying 
the hand of the Anglo American. The brightness of Paris is contrasted with 
the leaden-colored waves of the North Sea and the lonely beauty of Colorado 
lakes. There is love and beauty, and diamonds and lace, hunting, gambling, 
the tinkle of bells, fascination and disillusions, wonderful flowers and strange 
perfumes, mingled with tears that fall hot and fast, and all the orthodox 
materials that go to make up the modern society novel”. 

Decorator and Furnisher, New York^ 1893. 

“The Shadow of Desire” is rather a unique story. The author has 
taken an every day woman and written a story that will while away a leisure 
hour. The writer is realistic in painting her heroine. 

Religio Philosophical Journal. Chicago, July 2%nd, 1893. 

“There is something fresh and unconventional about The Shadow of 
Desire, Ruth is the most unconventional part of the book, and her charac- 
er and the gradual development of her better nature are intensely interesting. 
Few of the women, apparently ever heard of Mrs. Grundy, but although 
there is a worldly atmosphere throughout, it is the worldliness of smar^ 
American and English society as it is in real life, not only in fiction; and it 
is evident that Mrs. Osgood knows what she is talking about. There are 
some charming pictures of society and camping in Colorado, fox hunting in 
England, and life on the Riviera. There is much clever dialogue and 
plenty of thrilling incident of a by no means commonplace order. The 
story is so admirably told that one puts down the volume feeling that the time 
devoted to its perusal has not been wasted. I hope that the book is procura- 
ble in England and that Mrs. Osgood will write another”. 

Woman. London^ June%\st, 

^'The Shadow of Desire" is a novel by a new and promising American 
writer, Irene Osgood. The Shadow of Desire is the work of a clever wo- 
man. Her power of constructing an interesting plot is undeniable. 

Figaro, London, June %th. 1893. 

“The Shadow of Desire is a very entrancing work. The originality 
and startling situations which mark the story cannot fail to secure for it 
great popularity” 

Christian Globe, London, June 22fid, 1893 

CLOTH, $1,25. 

Cleveland Publishing Co., 19 Union Sq., New York. 

SOLE AGENTS FOR ENGLAND *. 

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The Physiology of Love 

# 

In this work, the masterpiece of the world-renowned 
author, science reveals the naked truth, morality throws over 
it the mantle of modesty, poetic fancy embellishes it. 


PAJPJEB COVER, $1.00. CLOTH, $1.50. 


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TO HIS OWN MASTER 


A NOVEL 


BY 

ALAN ST. AUBYN, 

Author of “A Fellow of Trinity/’ “The Junior Dean,” “The Old 
Maid’s Sweetheart,’’ Etc., Etc. 


cxjOo?!!, $1.00. boc. 


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Ill 

A STORY FOR CHILDREN 

PY 

VALENTINE VALENTINE. 



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ONE NEVER KNOWS. 

V 

BY 


IF. C. FHHTjIFS. 


Author of “As In a Looking Glass.” 


OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 

“A well enough told story,” 

The Evening Telegram^ New York, Aug. 6th, 1993, 

“An exceptionally well written story and one of realistic forceful ness too,” 
Boston Ideas, Boston, Mass,, Aug, 6th, 1893. 

“The side-characters are ably contrasted, and the incidents in the story 
ar.: well wrought out * * * It is an interesting story, and once begun 

will be eagerly finished,” BostonTimes, Boston. Mass,, Aug. 8th, 1893, 

“As spicy as might be expected from his pen.” 

Evening Post, Denver, Col. Aug. 13th, 1893. 

“It is quite in touch with what the public want and what the readers of 
fiction will have.” Noah's Times^ New York, Aug. 12th, 1893. 

“This new novel is bound to prove a dangerous rival for honors. * * * 
It is in every way a very charming book — and one of intense interest.” 

Loreland Reporter, Loreland, Col., Aug. 24th, 1893. 

“It is an interesting story.” Telephone, Phila., Pa., Sept. 16th, 1893. 

“The story has a commendable degree of dramatic interest. 

' Boston Budget, Boston, Mass., Sept. 24th, 1893. 


50 CEl^rTS, 


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NEW YORK. 


A YEAR’S TRAGEDY 


BY 


CHARLKS QURNXIN, 

Author of “A Fearless Life,” Etc. 


OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 

“Students of what might be called the psychology of love will find a 
thread in the story to interest them decidedly. 

Times, Boston, Mass., Sept. 3d, 1893. 

“The plot is good and the characters well drawn.” 

Rocky Mountain News, Col., Sept. 10th, 1893. 

“A novel possessing considerable merit and much queerness. 

“A Year’s Tragedy” is an artistic success for the consistency with which 
it follows out in effects the tendencies of causes. 

A story which deals with intensities of any kind must need possess more 
or less of serious or tragic events. The earnest soul to day, he who takes 
life seriously in his relations towards others and toward the universe, such 
an one feels so deeply into the centre of his being as to disturb more vio- 
lently and generally than customary all the outward avenues of his physical 
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of characteristics developing before him — and so on ad libitum. The evolu- 
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Charles Quentin is the atithor of “A Year's Tiagedy” — a most capable 
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ance — this latter in the attitude of Gladys toward the man she thought she 
loved. And her self-revelations are as humanly sad and inevitable as they 
are well handled by Mr. Quentin. The tale’s development it is a genuine 
pleasure to follow and results well justify the reader’s sense of artistic justice 
and harmony — despite all the apparent outward inharmony. The character- 
study presented herein is worthy the absorbed interest that readers will give 
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are broadly yet trenchantly drawn. The situations are alive, so to say, and 
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“ ‘MV WICKEDNESS’ is a curious story that keeps the reader’s 
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“ ‘MY WICKEDNESS’ is interesting by reason of its intensity 
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‘MY WICKEDNESS’ does on almost every page.” — From The Star, 
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“I read a remarkable book this week, a book called ‘MY WICK- 
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this book, the press would ring with it. The style is clear and strong. 
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3rd, 1893. 


PRICE, 35 Cents. 


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